Manipur Congress party candidates for the ensuing 12th Manipur State Assembly election on Thursday took a pledge at various religious places promising to respect the people’s mandate and not defect to any other political parties in the next five years.
The procession was led by Bhakta Charan Das, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Manipur and was accompanied by MPCC senior leaders and most of the Congress candidates.
The pledge-taking ceremony was kicked off from Kangla Moat considering its historic significance and its sanctity. It was followed by a ceremony at MBC Church, Chingmeirong; Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple at 1st MR, Masjid Road and Gobindaji Temple, Palace Compound.
Addressing media on the sideline of the pledge-taking ceremony, CLP leader Okram Ibobi Singh said that to maintain the democracy of India, the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had passed an anti-defection law. But violating this Act, instances of defection have become rampant with the advent of the BJP government by adopting various means like money power and muscle power, the former CM added.
Practices that amount to disrespecting people’s five years mandate not only occurred in Manipur but also in other parts of India such as Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. To prevent such undemocratic instances after the formation of a new government, the Congress party with the approval of high command conducted this oath taking ceremony, he added.
The CLP leader said that, as the Congress party strongly believes in secularism, the pledge was carried out in almost all religious places in the state.
AICC in-charge Bhakta Charan Das said that many surveys had predicted the return of the Congress party to power. And to weaken the strength of the party, many other political parties have started getting strongholds through indirect support of the BJP, he added.
The Congress party has its own principle formulated with the wishes of the people. However, other small political parties are being used as an instrument of people, he said while informing that the BJP is usually concerned about dividing the Congress party. As an outcome of it, this BJP government in Manipur was formed through artificial means, he recalled.
The CLP leader further said that through malafide means, the BJP had formed the government in Manipur 2017 election. Besides this, 12 MLAs were also disqualified by the High Court of Manipur but they still continued in the government. This shows that the BJP disrespects the mandate of people of state, he said.
To strengthen the voting rights of people of state, the pledge is being held as one of the mandatory activities before filing nomination by candidate, he added.
