IMPHAL, Feb 5: While hectic campaigns are going on for the ensuing bye-election of Konthoujam assembly constituency, the Trinamool Congress candidate Konthoujam Sarat has divulged alleged misappropriation of public distribution system (PDS) and local areas development fund in the constituency during the tenure of former Speaker (late) Dr. Sapam Buddhichandra.
Speaking to mediapersons today at the sideline of a political meeting held at Yurembam Makha Leikai, K. Sarat stated that the people of Konthoujam have been deprived of their PDS items such as rice and kerosene for the last six years.
Moreover, the works which should be implemented under the local areas development fund of the MLA have been done only in papers. Many crematoriums, community halls and drainage system have been constructed in the constituency as per the official records, but in actuality not a single development work has been implemented by the deceased MLA, he said.
Pointing out the irony in the development works of Konthoujam, Sarat stated that a crematorium at (late) Budhichnadra’s locality has been constructed twice as per the official record, but in reality there is no such crematorium in the locality. As a result of such misdeed, the last rite of (late) Dr. Budhichandra had to be performed near the river bank of his locality in the absence of a proper crematorium.
He also disclosed that 1300 quintals of PDS rice should be given to 3775 APL families every month but the rice was distributed only twice during the six years’ tenure of the deceased MLA. Not a single development work has been taken up in the constituency by (late) Dr. Budhichandra and so nothing can be expected from his son who does not even live at Konthoujam, Sarat added.
The Trinammol candidate further charged the Deputy Speaker of duping the local people of Yurembam saying that the land acquisition process of 25 acres required for the installation of 132 KV sub-station at Yurembam has been fixed by the MLA of Patsoi and not by (late) Dr. Budhichandra. He said that the land acquisition process cannot be done without the consent of the concerned local MLA and so the statement of the Deputy Speaker is baseless trying to appease the people to gain their votes in the ensuing bye-election.
He also slammed the independent candidate Kh. Ranjit as a staunch follower of the Congress Party who is trying to extract his votes in favour of the Congress rather than contesting the election to serve the people.
Meanwhile, reacting to the statement of Manipur State CPI (M) which said “Trinamool is a conglomeration of outcast politicians who cannot even resolve their own leadership issueâ€, the president of Manipur Pradesh Trinamool Congress, Kim Gangte stated that the Trinamool has set up a candidate for the ensuing Konthoujam bye-election with the objective of ensuring development of the state right from the grass-root level and not for gaining undue political advantage.
She further said that Trinamool Congress is a politically upright party unlike other political parties of the country which only work for their own vested interests.
The independent candidate has sprung up in the bye-election not with the objective to serve the people but to gain some benefits from the Congress Party.
