More than obvious that 2017 is not going to be a repeat of 2012. This is with regard to the outcome of the elections to the State Assembly. Take a look at the reality around. Back in 2012 the Opposition was in disarray and it was not without a reason why The Sangai Express had stated five years back that the only political party which seemed set to give a good fight to the Congress was the NPF. And it was also not without reason why The Sangai Express had christened former Chief Minister of Nagaland, Nephiu Rio as the star campaigner of the election. This time around everything looks set to undergo some significant changes. This time the NPF is still there, but its influence is limited only to the Naga dominated hill districts and it is the BJP which is set to pose the biggest challenge to the Congress to end its 15 years in power here. Early days yet to predict anything at this point of time, but the fight will obviously be between the Congress and the BJP and this is something very different from what it was in 2012. Remember the last Assembly election when the Congress literally rode through the election, making sure that it captured 42 of the 60 seats which went to polls. Die hard Congress supporters may still maintain that 2017 will see a repeat of 2012, but reality tells something different. With the BJP breathing down heavily on the collars of the Congress, the party which has been in power here for the last 15 years will not find the going as easy as in 2012. Making the election all that more interesting.
That nothing is being left to chance can be seen in the manner in which the CBI has summoned the former Additional SP of Imphal West police to New Delhi in connection with the BT Road incident of July 23, 2009. A story or an incident which has the potential to hurt the Congress Government here, if one goes by what Th Herojit has had to say and more than indicative that the fresh thrust given to the investigation rest on the revelations of Herojit. More than this, it is also interesting to see how the social media is being utilised to score a political point or two in the run up to the election and the short film/video in which the failure of the Congress Government, ranging from corruption to lack of water supply, education etc has been highlighted is an indication that the BJP is taking the election seriously and why not ? Looking to open its account after Assam (the case of Arunachal is a bit different) in the North East, it is more than clear that the BJP is ready to walk to extra mile to dislodge the Congress from the seat of power here. This is where it becomes important for the people to keep their cool, study the situation and then make up their mind, with an eye on where they would like to see Manipur five years down the line.
Source: The Sangai Express
