IMPHAL, May 11: The Indian National Congress kicked off it election campaign for the ADC elctions today.
The INC campaign was launched at 19 Dolang Autonomous District Council Constituency, Tamenglong District.
President Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MPCC Gaikhangam flagged off the ADC election campaign for the INC candidate at the residential premises of the Alar Thoitak at Dolang.
During the campaign speech, Gaikhangam who also holds the portfolio of Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister said that ADC election was once suspended for about 22 years as it was boycotted by some hill based groups.
Further mentioned that the current Okram Ibobi led Congress Government had strived hard to ensure the ADC election for the upliftment of the hill areas of the State.
He said that the determination to conduct free and fair ADC election was seen during the ADC election 2010, with the Government striving against all the odds. The trust of the people also ensured INC candidates could win all the six District Councils.
No one can suppress the power of common man, said MPCC president Gaikhangam and appealed the hill peoples of the State to come out and caste their valuable votes in the upcoming election.
He said that there are vested interests currently provoking hill people to create disturbances. Many of these are sponsored by some political party, but this only shows their own weakness.
`Unity and Development`™ is the theme for INC and only Congress can bring peace and harmony in the State he said.
He added that without development in the hill districts, no development can be there in the State as whole.
He summed up that to reach development to the grassroots works have already been initiated in the hill districts. This initiative includes constructing mini secretariats where all the concern departments will be working in one campus for efficient administration.
He continued construction works of these mini secretariats have neared completion and will be inaugurated after the ADC election. He further said there many other developmental works in the pipeline adding these will be announced after the election.
He added that above all the Congress Government is promoting sports and upgrading schools in the remote area of hill districts.
He said that to bring better road connectivity, the existing dirt roads like Tongjen Marin road, Noney Thangal road connecting to New Cachar road are in process of being widened with funds from the Asian Development Bank.
He called for cooperation of the people to the engineers and workers for swift completions of the projects. He said that development will follow if the villages are well connected through by roads.
The ADC election plays an important role in the development of the hill districts said Gaikhangam and added that the public must support and participate in the election.
He revealed that Congress candidates have won the largest number of uncontested seats having bagged six already, and he further appealed to all concerned to make the ADC election a free and fair.