Renaming Cong’s schemes BJP’s trademark:Ex Cm Okram Ibobi

Imphal: Intensifying its attack on the BJP-led government with the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election just two weeks away, former Chief Minister and CLP leader Okram Ibobi said that the BJP-led coalition government is well proficient only in renaming schemes launched by the Congress in stark contrast to the claim made by the saffron party that the State has witnessed overall development during its five-year rule.

Addressing the flag hoisting ceremony of INC candidate from Thongju AC Seram Neken held at his Singjamei Wangma Kshetri Leikai on Sunday, Ibobi charged that BJP of indulging in cheap publicity and propaganda only to gain popularity as if people of the State are fools.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre is completing eight-year term while Chief Minister Biren-led government in the State is completing five-year term but the saffron party has failed to fulfil the promises made in the last election leaving the people in a lurch.

He reminded that during the then Congress government, the price of a refilled LPG cylinder was Rs. 400-500 which has now been inflated to Rs.1100-1200. Providing some LPG gas cylinders and stoves to the poor by the BJP government free of cost is meaningless when the price of a refilled LPG gas cylinder has shot up to Rs.1100-1200. Prices of essential commodities, petrol and diesel have also skyrocketed thereby impacting upon the lives of the poor families. People of the State have been silently tolerating the misrule of the BJP government for five years, he maintained.

Taking a jibe at Works Minister Thongam Biswajit who is also contesting from Thongju AC on BJP ticket, Ibobi said that the Minister once promised to revive the Loitam Khunou Spinning Mill without knowing the actual ground realities and despite completing five-year term, the BJP government has failed to revive the mill and MSRTC.

As for the Congress, the party never makes any promise that cannot be fulfilled. Many Union Ministers visited the State but failed to announce any significant development packages. However, during the UPA regime, Union Ministers visited the State with development packages, he added.

Claiming that RIMS was taken over by the Centre during the Congress rule, he said that the present government has no guts enough to urge Central leaders to convert JNIMS into a Central medical institute. It seems that the Biren government is afraid of party Central leaders, he added.

The former Chief Minister also alleged that the BJP government has made mockery out of the MGNREGS, an internally acclaimed scheme launched by the UPA government. Liabilities for the executed works have not been cleared till date and as such poor job card workers have been left to suffer, he claimed.

If the BJP is voted to power again, democracy will land in jeopardy and the reign of dictatorship will rear its ugly head, Ibobi said.

MPCC President N Loken said that the general notion that the State will be financially sound and prosperous as same party rules both the State and the Centre has been proven wrong and it is clearly evident from the five-year rule of the Biren government.

He said that the Biren government is unable to release salaries, pensions of government employees and MGNREGS fund for the job card workers on time. He said that the Centre released Rs. 333 crore for the State for MGNREGS, out of which Rs.110 crore was released by the State in November last year following strong protests from the PRI functionaries and the people. It is the government that sucks blood of the poor. Destiny of the State will be dark if the saffron party is voted to power again. Many public sector undertakings once set up by the Congress and other parties have been privatized for the benefits of a few capitalists like Ambani and Adani, resulting in loss of jobs for many people, he claimed.

Alleging that the vision document of the BJP has failed tio materialise, the Congress leader said that the BJP once promised to provide jobs to every household but to no avail. He said that results of many job recruitment interviews have not been declared till date thereby putting the future of the candidates at stake. Result of recruitment of two IRB Battalions, Power Department and others have also been kept withheld. However, they collected lakhs from the job seeking candidates, thereby causing mental trauma to the jobless youth. The promise to construct houses for the poor has also utterly failed, he said, adding that the BJP will vanish after the forthcoming Assembly election.

Loken said that Union Ministers frequently visited the State and returned to the National capital after canvassing votes for the party without announcing any development packages.

Contending that the BJP will win only 11-13 seats in the ensuing election, he said the party will lose in the election not in the hands of the Congress but in the hands of its intending candidates who were denied party tickets. The saffron party will fail to cross two digits in the valley in the ensuing election, he added.

Launching a scathing attack on Minister Biswajit, Loken said that the Minister did not receive his phone call when he wanted to talk with the latter in connection with the development works taken up in his Assembly Constituency.

How this Minister who does not receive the phone call of an MLA would treat the common people after he wins the election, the MPCC President wondered, urging the people of Thongju AC to teach a fitting lesson to such rogue politicians in the upcoming election. He also sought public support to vote for the Congress and oust the BJP government of lip service.

Seram Neken said that people hardly find the opportunity to meet the legislators once they get elected but if he wins the election, he will wait for the people who wish to meet him. He claimed that the rising poll-related violence is the fallout of the misunderstanding between the candidates and the people. If the candidates work closely with the people, violence can be curbed and there will be peace, he added.

He said that most of the candidates who are coming out to contest the forthcoming Assembly election are not genuine social workers and they are contesting the election only to capture power by using money power. Such self-centric social workers are responsible for the poll related crimes, he added.

Assuring that he would work closely with the people if he gets elected, Neken said that he would give thrust to youth and strengthen the sports movement in the State.