Grievances grow, anger boils among BJP legislators

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 7: The Government’s inability to work out a solution to the violent crisis which erupted on May 3, 2023 and the alleged favouritism or partisan attitude in implementing development works in different Assembly segments have fuelled grievances and anger among the BJP legislators and some of them have even started attacking each other verbally.
With all sections of people facing unprecedented economic hardship on account of the protracted crisis and many people struggling for survival, BJP legislators are under immense pressure from their own workers and the people who voted for them to bring the crisis to an end at the earliest.
As a result, many BJP legislators have serious grievances against their own Government and their grievances are only growing with each passing day, said  sources.
Even though violence or exchange of firing has subsided, a solution to the violent crisis still remains elusive. At the same time, there is no solution in sight any time soon. This is another factor which is fuelling anger and frustration among many BJP legislators.
On the other hand, people’s indignation against the BJP Government has been rising rapidly. This growing indignation stems from the facts that the Meiteis are confined to the valley, Meiteis cannot operate inter-State buses and other commercial vehicles and Meiteis cannot go to Moreh for small businesses and all these have adversely impacted the Meitei people’s economy and livelihood.  
Apart from the displaced people whose houses and other properties have been destroyed, the economic conditions of all sections of people have been growing from bad to worse. As a result, more and more people have lost their faith in the BJP Government, said the sources.
Whereas BJP workers and other people who supported BJP have been asking their respective MLAs when the Government would bring an end to the protracted crisis,  none of the BJP MLAs and Ministers have a convincing answer to these questions, according to the sources.
There is no sign of holding dialogue with Kukis and the Government is unable to drive out illegal immigrants effectively and comprehensively. The Government is unable to make the Kukis surrender and at the same time, the Government is unable to ensure free movement of people across the State.
Considering all these facts, ruling MLAs’ grievances against their own Government have been growing alarmingly.
With the incumbent Government led by N Biren completing three years in office in the next couple of months, the ruling MLAs have started asking themselves how they would campaign for the next State Assembly election in the backdrop of the Government’s failure to bring peace and the untold misery being endured by the people, said the sources.
Many BJP MLAs and Ministers have noted that BJP suffered crushing defeats in the last Lok Sabha elections in Manipur due to people’s indignation against the abject failure of the BJP Governments at the Centre and the State to bring an end to the Manipur crisis.
In case, Assembly elections are held tomorrow or the day after, it remains a big question how ruling MLAs would be re-elected.  
Given this grim prospect, many Ministers and ruling MLAs have started pondering on how to win the next elections, the sources said.
Taking serious note of  the resounding victory scored by the Opposition Congress party in both Inner Manipur PC and Outer Manipur PC in the face of their inability to campaign openly for the candidates fielded and supported by BJP, many ruling legislators  have started mulling over what political step they should take to ensure their re-election.
Another factor which is fuelling the anger of some ruling legislators is the alleged favouritism or biasness shown by the BJP Government among the ruling legislators regarding implementation of development works in different Assembly segments.
The Government has been allegedly showing favouritism and biasness in releasing funds and appointment to Government jobs. This alleged favouritism has been only multiplying the feeling of dissidence, said the sources.
The volatile law and order situation, growing gun culture, rampant extortion and the rising threats to Government officials are other factors which have been multiplying the degree of indignation among some ruling legislators.
Some Ministers and ruling MLAs have been started arguing on the closure of several factories/industries and disallowing intellectuals, retired officers, Professors, Lecturers etc from speaking freely on the issues of Manipur  
They have suggested that all the ruling legislators may talk with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to bring peace in Manipur.
They have also suggested that they may sit on dharna at Jantar Mantar if the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister do not listen to them.
“Patriotism is something which must come from the inner self. Rhetoric is not enough. Tell us what we, the people’s representatives, should do now. Shall we join the war? If it is for the Nation, we are ready for everything.  Our deeds will determine whether we love Manipur or not”,  the disgruntled legislators asked the leaders of the Government.