The non-Congress, non-BJP third front in Manipur is yet to take shape although the Lok sabha elections are round the corner with the first phase scheduled for April 9.
The ten political parties of the proposed alternative had selected Nara Moirangthem, the state unit secretary of the CPI as the common candidate in the Inner Manipur constituency. However, the grouping has failed to select the common candidate for the reserved Outer Manipur constituency.
With some parties staying away from the the last crucial meeting, the common candidate could not be selected. However, the NCP proposed its member, C. Doungel, a former minister, as the common candidate and appealed to the constituent parties to support him. There has been no response from the other parties so far.
Both Mr. Moirangthem and Mr. Doungel hav ebeen defeated the 2009 elections. Some parties have dismissed the Left and Secular Alliance as being of no consequence, saying that the parties and members had sponged off the ruling Congress and as such they have no credibility.
The CPI had been a coalition partner of the Congress for two consecutive terms. However, voters are unhappy that CPI the rank and file and ministers have criticised the Congress on many public issues. The two coalition partners fielded their own candidates in all elections for a “friendly fight”.
The Left and Secular Alliance is conveying to the people that its candidates will win both the Lok sabha seats since the Congress and the BJP have no chance. However the ten parties which are already divided on the basic issue of the common candidate selection cannot publicise its political agenda.
The Inner Manipur constituency candidate and the CPI cannot launch a broadside against the Congress as these two political parties which are sworn enemies at the national level had been the coalition partners for ten years in Manipur. If the Congress is to be blamed for many of its acts, questions will be raised as to why and how the CPI had swam together for such a long time. Besides, the CPI has not been vociferous and aggressive like the BJP in some state issues .
Deputy Chief Minister and PCC President Gangumei Kamei has made light of the Left and Secular Alliance and said there was no opposition in the state. His contention is not without basis as the opposition has been silent on many burning public issues and the performance of the Congress ministry. On the eve of the last Assembly elections there was a scramble for the Congress tickets from the opposition parties. Two opposition MLAs who got the Congress tickets were elected.
The performances of the Naga People’s Front, a Nagaland based political party, will be closely watched after its inroads into Manipur’s politics during the last Assembly elections in 2012. It had won four seats with its agenda to unify the “Naga areas” of Manipur with Nagaland. In sharp contrast the Manipur People’s Party which once ruled the roost on the agenda of protecting the territory of Manipur is in the doldrums failing to field a candidate for the Lok sabha elections.
Mr. Gangmei says that the Congress is the oldest political party which has served the people. The two sitting party MPs Meinya Thokchom and Thangsho Baite have been given tickets againThe party also has 42 seats in the 60 member House.
