BJP all set to form govt in Manipur again, here are some factors behind the saffron surge in north-east

Riding high on the Narendra Modi wave, its poll plank of “development” and due to improved connectivity in this north-eastern state in the last five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reaped rich dividends of its hard work in the assembly elections 2022 and now looks set to retain the power in Manipur again. Most importantly, BJP candidate and Chief Minister Biren Singh has also won his seat of Heingang in Imphal East.

Imphal: Possibly riding high on the Narendra Modi wave, its main poll plank of “development” and due to improved connectivity in this north-eastern state in the last five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reaped rich dividends of its hard work in the assembly elections 2022 and now looks set to retain the power in Manipur again. Most importantly, BJP candidate and Chief Minister Biren Singh has also won his seat of Heingang in Imphal East by a huge margin. 

The credit for the saffron surge in the northeast can be attributed to the Narendra Modi government's Act East Policy, which aims towards the fast-paced and all-inclusive growth and development in the 7 north-eastern states and improving connectivity between them and Delhi.   

Though Manipur is heading for a hung assembly as per the latest trends, the ruling BJP will most certainly emerge as the single largest party securing 20+ seats in the 60 member House. BJP’s estranged ally National People`s Party (NPP) is likely to bag between 8-12 seats. The BJP, however, is confident of forming the government in Manipur for the second term with the support of smaller parties. Political observers feel that the NPP may later play a crucial role in government formation.

This time the NPP and BJP`s other estranged ally Naga People`s Front (NPF) had contested the polls separately and had fielded candidates against each other. As per the Election Commission`s latest trends for all 60 seats, the BJP is ahead in 25, Congress in 11, while Naga People`s Front has got six seats. 

Exit polls gave a clear edge to BJP in Manipur

Days ahead of the counting on March 10, the exit polls in Manipur gave a clear edge to the ruling BJP followed by Congress, a distant second. It may be noted that in 2017, the BJP had stunned the Congress which ruled for 15 years in Manipur as it emerged as the second-largest party winning 21 seats in the 60-member state Assembly. 

The National People`s Party (NPP) and Naga People`s Front (NPF) bagged four seats each while the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) managed to secure only one constituency. The BJP also bagged 36.28 per cent vote share while Congress received 35.11 per cent of the total vote.

Later, the BJP stitched a coalition with the NPP, NPF, and LJP to form the government under the leadership of Biren Singh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, out of two parliamentary seats in Manipur, the BJP and the NPF won one seat each. 

However, this time, the BJP, which formed the government in Manipur in 2017 with the support of the National People`s Party (NPP), Naga People`s Front (NPF) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), decided to go solo and contested all 60 seats alone. 

On the other hand, Congress formed an alliance of six political parties and named it Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). The coalition partners in MPSA include Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (Secular).

BJP manifesto promised pension hike, free laptops and AIIMS in Manipur

In its election manifesto for Manipur, the BJP promised preservation of the rights of the indigenous people, two extra LPG cylinders, and free electric scooty to college-going girls among others. Releasing the manifesto, BJP national president JP Nadda said that the ''double-engine government under PM Narendra Modi has mainstreamed the Northeast under the Act East Policy.''

Freebies to voters in Manipur

The party also promised a number of freebies to woo voters in the Northeastern state ahead of the two-phase poll scheduled for February 28 and March 5.  The saffron party said that it is going to increase the monthly pension of senior citizens from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000, promised financial support to farmers under PM-KISAN by raising it from Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 for Manipur. It also promised free of cost, accidental insurance to the tune of Rs 5 lakh to all fishermen of the state, scholarships to all children of small and marginal farmers as well as landless farmers in Manipur.

In its manifesto, the BJP said that ‘Aspirational Blocks’ and ‘One Sub-Division, One Product’ programmes will be started in Manipur and these programmes will facilitate multi-faceted development in different blocks, popularise products and bring the market to the state. The saffron party said that black rice, lemon, chilli and orange have been given GI tags thus benefiting the food and fruit markets of Manipur.

Reaching out to the students and youth, the party said that free scooties will be provided to all college-going meritorious girls in Manipur. "Girls from EWS and backward sections will get an educational incentive of Rs 25,000. We will also provide free laptops to all meritorious students passing Class XII,” the BJP manifesto said. The ruling party also promised 100 per cent coverage of the Aysuhman Bharat scheme, an AIIMS and a skill university in Manipur. 

Congress accused of nurturing, encouraging militancy in Manipur

In his election rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too accused the Congress of "nurturing and encouraging militancy in Manipur", which seems to have found support from the local Manipuri voters. PM Modi hit out at the Congress accusing it of the instability, backwardness and corruption in Manipur. He said people would not support the party again in this election.

Striking an emotional chord with the Manipuri people, the Prime Minister said that the people of Manipur sacrificed for India's Independence, but the Congress did not give any importance to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the other freedom fighters even as the Indian National Army first hoisted the national flag in Manipur's Moirang.

The Prime Minister said that Manipur will become the export and international gateway of India and the state would be connected to the Asian and European countries through the Asian Highway project.

The Prime Minister said that under the Act East policy, the north-eastern states would be linked with the Asian countries to boost trade and business. Addressing another rally in Manipur virtually from Delhi, PM Modi said that under-construction India's first Sports University in Manipur would be made an international institute.

While PM Modi has always heaped praise on Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu from Manipur, describing them as "India's sports iconic personalities,'' it was during former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure that a separate ministry - Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) - was established for the all-round development of the northeastern region.

However, the Congress-led previous UPA government could not carry forward the momentum and kept the ministry inactive. The ruling BJP, under PM Modi's leadership, made the development of the northeastern region its top priorities and Central ministers began frequently visiting the region. Ably aided by the Modi government, the Manipur government's "Go to Hills" and "Go to Village" programmes further exposed the Congress conspiracies and anti-development agenda.