The Congress has become very careful these days. From loyalty pledges in the form of sworn affidavits to making pledges before the gods, they are taking no chance this time. Once a formidable force and one of the last Congress bastions in the wake of the BJP wave, Manipur Congress is certainly struggling for survival. The most significant exit in 2017 was former minister and trouble-shooter N Biren Singh who went on to become the state Chief Minister in a BJP-led coalition government. In the 2017 elections, the party got a limited mandate of 28 MLAs which led to BJP stealing the mandate by hastily cobbling together a coalition. Out of power, its ranks keep dwindling with many of its MLAs either openly or indirectly supporting the BJP led government, till it was left with only 13 MLAs in its kitty.
It was mainly resentment with former CM Okram Ibobi Singh’s leadership which led to Biren Singh jumping ship just before the elections in 2017. The same is still true in the case of party stalwarts like Govindas Konthoujam, Dr Chaltonlien Amo and Kh Joykishan leaving the party. But what most hurt O Ibobi was the exit of his nephew Okram Henry whose support to BJP led to gaining a Rajya Sabha seat and securing the confidence vote. Party candidates for the ensuing 12th Manipur State Assembly election were made to take 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 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 at Chingmeirong, Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple at 1st MR, Jama Masjid at Masjid Road and Shree Shree Govindaji Temple at Palace Compound, Imphal.
Manipur had its share of mass defections before the Anti-Defection law was passed by Parliament. Governments were like musical chairs, whenever the ruling party changes in New Delhi it also changes in the state. Even after passing of the law, defections happened in Manipur and ultimately changes were made in the law to practically make it impossible to defect. Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh was able to survive for 15 long years because of the new amendments in the law. But in 2017, a Congress defector was sworn in as a Minister and the case seeking his disqualification went on for more than three years till he was finally disqualified. Several other disqualification cases were filed before the Speaker’s Tribunal against Congress MLAs who chose to support the BJP led government while remaining in the party. Their cases went on for years as those MLAs were somehow in the twilight zone. During assembly sessions, these MLAs continue to sit in the opposition bench while at the same time attending BJP functions like pure ‘karyakatas’ donning saffron caps and lengyans. And as such, the case remained pending but to be taken up whenever the situation demands. This time around, the Congress wants to avoid it. Hence, the pledges and oath-taking ceremonies.
CLP leader O Ibobi said that as the Congress party strongly believes in secularism, the pledge was carried out in almost all religious places in the state. The question is why the Congress is taking pledges from its candidates at only these few sites. Manipur has a number of holy sites across the state. Why not take the pledge also at Ibudhou Marjing or Ibudhou Thangjing or Koubru Laiphamlen to name a few important sacred sites. Besides, there are many important temples of the Hindu Vaishnavism faith.
