National News Politics

Congress’s Bimol Akoijam: “Don’t Take Manipur For Granted”

Bimol Akoijam, an associate professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Social Sciences, won the Inner Manipur seat for Congress by a margin of over 100,000 votes in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

this was Akoijam’s first time running for office. He was one of the two Congress candidates who won both parliamentary seats in Manipur. Akoijam said he chose to enter politics because of the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state.

In an interview with The Indian Express, he discusses how the conflict affected the election, what his main goals will be, and how he plans to work with the BJP-led N. Biren Singh government in the state.

He emphasized, This is not just talk; it’s a fact — this victory belongs to the people of the state. The people have spoken. They have clearly shown that they are tired of lawlessness and bad governance, and they have had enough. This is not my victory; it is the victory of the people of Manipur. The message is clear: “Don’t take Manipur for granted.” You cannot take the people of the state for granted.

We had seen violence in the constituency you had contested in on polling day, and you had alleged that Congress polling agents were being threatened. This doesn’t seem to have affected your performance.

If it weren’t for the violence and malpractices, we might have won by 1.5 to 2 lakh votes. From what we were tracking, we would have definitely had a minimum margin of 1.5 lakh votes if the polling had been conducted fairly.

The Congress, which has made significant gains in Manipur by winning both seats, has launched an attack on Chief Minister N Biren Singh and urged the new MPs to engage in a reconciliation process. Manipur has been suffering from ethnic violence for over a year.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X, “The long-suffering people of Manipur, whose resilience and strength have been under major strain since the state began burning on the night of May 3, 2023, have sent a very powerful signal by electing Congress MPs in both Inner and Outer Manipur. It is also a tribute to Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Manipur on June 29 and 30, 2023, and to the launch of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on January 14, 2024, from Thoubal, when the state government refused permission for it to start from Imphal. It is also a strong rebuke to Narendra Modi, who did not visit the state even for a few hours. The two Congress MPs have a huge responsibility, and with their election, hopefully, the process of reconciliation will get a big boost.”

Since violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities on May 3 last year, at least 220 people have been killed, 1,500 injured, and 60,000 displaced.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee President Keisham Meghachandra said, “Both candidates won by large margins, reflecting the people’s trust.” He promised that the Congress party would work tirelessly to fulfil its commitments, prioritizing peace and welfare in the state.

Before the violence, some BJP MLAs had questioned Chief Minister Biren Singh’s style of functioning and resigned from their positions in the corporation.

Dear Readers,
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.

Related posts