The BJP led coalition Government has passed the floor test, as expected. So after Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP gets another North East State under its belt and this is in line with the agenda spelt out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the BJP swept the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. The Modi wave continues to sweep across the country and now with a BJP led Government in place here, what can Manipur expect in the coming years ? Tough to say but remember the BJP rode to power here highlighting some key issues. Corruption was one of them and while it remains to be seen how clean the new Government will be, it is nonetheless significant to note that it is on this count that the saffron party had gone hammer and tongs against former Chief Minister O Ibobi and the Congress. Another key issue which was highlighted was supply of piped water to every household in the State, or at least in Imphal. This is one area in which the Congress Government failed miserably in its 15 years in power. Investing in getting a water tanker is a win win situation and from buying water by the buckets in the localities of Imphal, the practise has now shifted to buying bottled water which comes in 20 litres capacity from some of the more popular local bottled water labels such as Likla. So for fifteen years people have had to depend on the water tankers and from buying water by the buckets to bottled water that comes in 20 litre capacities. The BJP has still not spelt out how it intends to supply piped water to every household, at least in Imphal, but a promise has already been delivered and the BJP better place priority on this.
It was in line with this pre-poll promise that BJP MP and in charge of Manipur, Prahlad Singh Patel in an exclusive chat with The Sangai Express assured a corruption free Government, adequate supply of fresh drinking water and improved road conditions amongst others. All promises but a point has been delivered and it will be interesting to see how the BJP goes about with fulfilling its poll promises to the people in the days to come. Not so prominently mentioned, for reasons which can be understood, but which is significant and can have a positive impact on the State and the people is the decision to go ahead with the NPF in Government formation. A point which has already been underlined before but its significance continues and this is best exemplified by the words of gratitude expressed by UNC president Gaidon Kamei to the State Government for ‘its initiative and response’. This is a sharp departure from the ‘communal Government of Manipur’ stand of numerous Naga civil society organisations earlier. Early days yet and while nothing can be said with a degree of certainty at the moment, it is best that people cutting across community divide rise to the occasion and see how to address the trust deficit that has crept in amongst different communities in the State.
Source: The Sangai Express
