IMPHAL, May 31: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Manipur Pradesh has urged the Union Home minister to suspend the Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958 from Manipur on a temporary basis, State president Th Chaoba told the media today.
Chaoba was addressing a press conference at the Manipur Press Club Saturday regarding the recent speculations reported in local dailies about his possible replacement from the president’s post of the State unit, BJP.
He questioned how the party can think of changing the president at a State unit when even the national party president remains unchanged.
There is no crisis inside the party as has been speculated, he said before acknowledging, however, there are some minor differences between some members of the party.
This is part and parcel of being in a branch of such a big national party as the BJP, said Th Chaoba.
However, the reported crisis inside the party is totally baseless. Such speculations have been raised as the party is growing since the NDA came to power at the Centre, he asserted.
The minor differences is all part of being in a family, he said before declaring that the camping of some senior leaders of the State unit at the national capital for the past ten days has no concern whatsoever with replacing him as the president.
Ever since, the party won a landslide victory at the Centre, the State unit has been celebrating. It is only congratulating each other between the senior party leaders of the State unit, he continued his clarification.
The State Pradesh with the help of the national leaders of the party will soon enquire if there is any outside influence on the reported news of conflict in the party, he continued
There was no favouritism while issuing party ticket for the recent LS election, he said while adding the tickets were finalised only by the Parliamentary Board led by the national president, Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu and other leaders.
He said he is not authorised to select candidates for MPs and MLAs but only for Panchayat and Municipality elections.
Chaoba said he have met various leaders including Home minister Rajnath Singh and discussed the present law and order situation of the state, during which the Union minister had assured to take all positive actions.
During his recent stay at the national capital, he said he along with his team had apprised the Union Home minister on certain suggestions regarding the law and order situation in the State.
The Union minister’s reply was that since he had taken charge of the ministry recently, the State BJP team should come up with a few points which reflect the party manifesto of the recent LS polls, he said.
So, a four point priority list including demand for repeal of AFSPA, border issue, law and order situation, etc have been submitted to the government, he said.
Chaoba acknowledged removing AFSPA or its repeal will take time in the Parliament.
There is not much effect in the neighbouring State of Nagaland even though AFSPA is imposed since the Disturb Area Status has been removed from the State, he said.
As the Disturb Area Status has been removed from some assembly segments in Greater Imphal area, likewise it needs to be removed from the entire 60 Assembly Constituencies, he said.
With the Union minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, he had discussed the development of the Imphal-Jiribam road, he said.
Further addressing the media, he said he had discussed the border fencing issue with the new DoNER minister VK Singh, who on being asked to implement a scheme for the State, had replied he would visit the State to inspect the ground reality.
He said he had never mentioned the BJP will be contesting against the NPF in a friendly manner.
The BJP had fought both the Congress and the NPF, he stated.
He said the people are aware that there was heavy rigging during the recently concluded 16th Lok Sabha election in the State.
Prof Gangmumei Kamei and RK Ranjan were also present during the conference.
Meanwhile, Chaoba also stated that the Prime Minister has been urged in written to initiate an enquiry into the episode of power-cut in Manipur during the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister on May 26.