State campaign on electoral reforms from July 12
IMPHAL, July 7: The present crisis within the Congress party is not only led by hunger for power, but also out of a fear among the Congress MLAs that they would not be able to recover what they have invested during the last elections. It is obvious they want to do this by earning a berth in the State ministry.
This was stated by Dr M Nara this afternoon at a press briefing held at the Irawat Bhawan, BT Road. Nara added that the crisis stems from narrow political interest aimed at self-aggrandizement. This is unfortunate, for it will affect the overall political environment of the State, he said.
Nara alleged that Manipur today is almost like an anarchic state in which the individuals and groups are left to do whatever they please.
The sad part is that the government is nonchalant and doing nothing about it, he said.
Politics has been reduced to a mockery and a profitable business avenue. If the current trend continues, there is little hope for a better future for Manipur, Nara added.
The only way to bring about a change in the present political set up is through an electoral reform, Nara said. The State CPI will start its campaign on electoral reform from July 12 as a part of a nationwide campaign.
Taking jibes on BJP, Nara said political parties like BJP and Congress are corporate funded parties, their policies and programmes are meant to placate the corporates.
He said ever since the BJP has come to power, the prices of the essential commodities have been rising. Prices of Petrolium products, cooking gas, kesrosene and railway fare have increased, giving hardship to the common man, He said.
Nara alleged that BJP was funded by big corporate houses in its recent election campaign. In order to pay off back loans from the corporate houses, the BJP led NDA government in the center has resorted hiking prices of essential commodities, without caring for the common man, he maintained.
He said the BJP was voted to power by the Indian people because the people were fed up with the policies of UPA II. People wanted a change of policies so as to be relieve of the hardship heaped on them by the UPA government. But contrary to this expectation, the NDA government is giving the same hardship to the people by following the same policies as that of the UPA, by appeasing the corporates, Nara added.
On the other hand the corporate sectors are reaping a good harvest ever since the BJP came to power Nara said. This is because parties like BJP make policies to favour the interests of the corporate houses.