LAMKA, May 24: Congress candidate for 21-Sangaikot district council constituency Tongkhakai Baite has launched his election campaign at Lailoiphai Village yesterday with the sitting MLAs of Singhat assembly constituency GS Haupu and Sugnu assembly constituency K Ranjit Singh attending.
The party`™s flag was hoisted by the Sugnu MLA marking the launch of the campaign inaugural.
Meanwhile, it may be recalled that Tongkhokai Baite was also threatened by cadres of the SoO signatory group KNA forcing him to file his nomination in Imphal instead of CCpur and the government had to provide escorts for the candidate.
Speaking on the occasion, Ranjit had said people should elect his party candidate because the Congress is a party with a proper and sound foundation, whereas the others including the Independent candidates are like buildings without proper foundation.
He said there are reports of some SoO signatory group threatening some ADC candidates to step down from contesting the election which is very much unfortunate.
The MLA also called on the people to come out in full support to exercise their voting rights.
We live in a democratic country which means that we have the rights to vote, he said.
The trend at the moment in the election seems to be more of a selection of members rather than election of members, which is also unfortunate and must be ended, he added.
He also appealed to all concern to allow the people to vote according to their choice.
Further continuing his speech, the former minister said it was Congress alone that conducted the ADC election after a gap of 20 years and even if the BJP wins the majority in the ADC elections, the funds from the Centre will still have to be disbursed through the State government.
Local MLAGS Haupu also said that the Congress will still win the election and further appealed to the people to give the sitting ADC member a second chance as the five year term was not enough to carry out the mass development projects.
Meanwhile, the candidate Tongkhokai Baite said he was thankful to his people, supporters and party leaders for standing by him.
He said he cared for the people and had brought transparency in his work during the past five years.
He further promised that if he was elected again he will continue with the work left incomplete in his first term.
T Baite also appealed to his supporters and volunteers that they should not have any ill-feeling against anyone and that once the election results are out, whether he wins or lose, the election process should end.
It is also worth mentioning that the apex body of Kuki organisations, the Kuki Inpi Manipur in a statement signed by its president T Haokip issued on May 8 had asked all UG outfitsto refrain from supporting any particular candidate or do anything that will compromise the fair and free conduct of the election.