Maybe, the time has come for BJP to change its punching bag. It is torn, tattered and coming apart at the seams with more than 10 years of abuse and merciless punching. Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 by blaming the Congress with anything under the sun and still doing so while seeking a third term as the Prime Minister. State BJP leaders led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh are following the same playbook ever since it came to power in 2017 in the state. After a successful stint in the first and second terms of the powerful Congress CM O Ibobi Singh as a minister and close confidant he fell out of favor in the third term.
Since he had been leading a dissident camp against Chief minister O Ibobi Singh and buckling under the pressure, a cabinet reshuffle was done and the state president was changed while N Biren became all powerful as a vice president. Yet, unable to match the wily O Ibobi Singh within the Congress fold he left the party in October 2016 a few months before the state assembly elections. Then, a barrage of corruption scams fell out of the cupboard just before the elections.
BJP successfully banked on the corruption charges and the anti-incumbency factor of O Ibobi’s 15 years rule. But it came out the second single largest party formation with 21 MLAs after the Congress, although it managed to cobble together a coalition of unlikely partners including the Naga Peoples Front (NPF). Just before the 2017 state assembly elections, Chief Minister O Ibobi took a risky gamble by announcing 7 seven new districts on December 8, 2016 much against the wishes of the Nagas. The national highway was blockaded by the United Naga Council (UNC) continuously for 139 days.
In the 2022 state assembly elections also Congress continued to be the favourite punching bag and it was blamed for every ailment in the state. The corruption scams of the Congress which they focused on with a mission in 2017 elections had long been forgotten and in 2022 they focused on the policies of the then Congress regime.
BJP won with a clearcut majority of 32 MLAs while Congress managed to win only 5 seats. In 2017 and 2022 state assembly elections, people could at least tolerate the anti-Congress rants from BJP leaders. But, still continuing with the same charade even after eight long years again in 2024 is like flogging a dead horse. Why can’t they focus on its achievements, if not of the government at the Centre but policies taken up by the state government here.
Why is it not highlighting the achievements of its MPs including one who went on to become a Union Minister of State? Or maybe, they have nothing worthwhile to show to the people of Manipur. Either that or they are ashamed of its MPs sitting as mere spectators or buckling under pressure from the party high command not to speak a word.
We know, BJP is not that serious about the unrest and all their actions and selective silence seems to point to a desire to let events take its own course. Outwardly, they paint a picture of them fighting for the cause of the ‘Hindu Meiteis’ which the Meiteis can certainly do without. The violence is not at all about the majority ‘Hindu Meiteis’ and minority ‘Kuki Christians’ seeking each other’s annihilation. We also understand that, some of the anti-Hindutva elements are outrightly trying to blame everything on the ‘Hindu Meiteis’ for the present violence.
Now, as elections are knocking at the door, state BJP leaders and elements sympathetic to them are reminding the people of the attitude and utterances of the central Congress leaders which they feel will help them in taking away votes from the Congress candidate. On the other hand, the state BJP leaders cannot even convince the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a worthwhile statement regarding the present crisis or to visit the state or to meet the state MLAs in New Delhi.
Everyone knows, Narendra Modi does not care a hoot whether our boys and girls die or go missing or rendered homeless by the unrest. Again, it is quite unseemly for the BJP to go on blaming the present unrest to the Congress. It is not just the Congress, but the present generation of political leadership which has failed the people of the state.
