IMPHAL, June 13: After the grand victory in the Assam general election, the Central leadership of the BJP is eyeing the Manipur general election in 2017 with full hopes of installing a BJP government in the state.
The state Assembly election in Manipur due next year was reportedly given prominence during discussions among top party leaders during its national executive meeting which ended at Allahabad today.
A reliable source said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also forwarded his congratulations to the state unit over its grand performance at the Imphal Municipal Corporation election stating that the feat of winning 10 wards was unprecedented and praiseworthy. He also congratulated each of the newly elected members of the civic body from his party during his speech at the national executive meeting at Allahabad, added the source.
The prime minister further assured that the Centre will extend maximum support during the process for the smooth conversion of the council into a corporation.
The BJP national leaders have drawn big plans for the seven states for which Assembly election are drawing closer. A top state leader of the party said during the discussion at the Allahabad conclave BJP leaders agreed that setting a target of 20 Lok Sabha seats from the north-eastern region in the 2019 Parliamentary election will be very feasible. However, among its immediate plans was ensuring victory at the Manipur Assembly general election next year which had received a shot in the arm after the landmark success in Assam. He further mentioned that for the first time the chief ministerial candidate will be announced ahead of the polls.
BJP president Amit Shah urged party workers to work earnestly to achieve its mission of “Congress Mukt Bharat” during the forthcoming elections in Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab which all falls during 2017. The Congress party is the BJP’s main political foe in all these five states.