IMPHAL, May 19: The BJP has intensified its campaigning for the June 1 ADC polls with Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram and the party`™s national executive member Tapir Gao addressing a public meeting at the Ukhrul Town Hall today.
Speaking at the poll meeting, Tapir Gao who is also the party`™s in charge of the ADC election in Manipur said the NPF and the BJP are allies at the Centre and even though the two will be fielding their own candidates in the ADC election, both will be supporting each other in principle during formation of ADCs after the election.
He said the elected BJP members can also act as felicitators of the Naga peace process to bring an early solution.
Gao, however, cautioned the armed outfits operating in the hill districts against disturbing the democratic process of election.
He warned any act of pressuring or threatening during the ADC election process would never be the solution.
Attacking the Congress government of the State, he said although five years have passed since the last ADC election, no autonomy or devolution of power has been handed over to the elected ADC members.
Meanwhile, addressing the meeting, Oram said the Congress, which has been ruling the State for 13 long years, has been the major stumbling block in the development of the State`™s Hills districts.
It is now time for the people to shift their support to the BJP and help the party in bringing development from the grass-root level, he said.
The Union Minister also assured a `corruption-free government`™ in the State if brought to power.
All that the Congress can do is to blame the BJP of being anti-Christian or try to create rifts between the Hindus and the Muslims because they have done nothing to talk about other than loot public money, Oram asserted.
He said although the Centre is always ready to sanction any amount of money for the development of the hill districts, the Congress-led government in the State has always stood in the way and denied the funds from reaching the targeted people.
For the Centre to release funds and the funds to actually reach the targeted public there is a need to uproot this corrupt Congress government in the State, Oram said appealing to the people to give BJP a chance to win the ADC seats.
He said he has received many memorandums from the people, and most of these have been demands for more funds.
However, even if I assure to provide the funds or special packages for the hill districts it would be of no use as there is no one to monitor the utilisation of the funds, he continued.
`Give BJP a chance in the ADC election and see the changes in all hill districts.`
He quickly added if the people vote for BJP candidates, then the party can ensure direct delivery of funds to the hill districts through the ADC.
`However, if you vote for the same old Congress, then you have made a big blunder,` he continued.
Continuing to lambast the Congress government, Oram alleged that the previous Congress-led UPA had swindled huge public money amounting in crores in the infamous 2G scam.
BJP State general secretary administrative, M Asnikumar said the Congress has not allowed or undertaken a single development work in the hill areas.
Asnikumar also said that the the party`™s candidate from 44/11 Khamasom constituency SK Somi was selected and approved by the party`™s national and State leaders and as such any claim against his candidature from any insider of the party will be seriously considered by the party.
Party`™s spokesperson Soso Shaiza also urged the Union Minister to ensure full autonomy to the ADC which is enshrined under the Indian Constitution.