| Stability question
Electorate of 20 hill Assembly constituencies
exercised their franchise yesterday in the second and final phase of the elections to the 60
member Manipur Legislative Assembly. The first phase, which was marked by booth capturing and rigging, was held on February 24 and if everything goes "well" Manipur will be having a popular Ministry by the end of this month or in the first week of next month.
Whether we want it or not a coalition Government will be at the helm of affairs once again for an uncertain period of time, of course, unless the single largest party can manipulate things to swallow up splinter groups to cobble up a workable majority after all the results are declared. No one can tell, how long such a coalition regime will last.
The State has a number of coalition Governments in the past (seventh Manipur Assembly witnessed two coalition regimes before the imposition of Central Rule). But none of them could last longer than a couple of years, thanks to power hungry legislators and defectors. It is common knowledge that elections did not necessarily usher in the eight since Manipur became a full-fledged State in 1972. This fact is a sad commentary on the kind of politics our leaders are indulging in.
Leaders will stoop to any level to serve their personal interest. Yesterday's enemy is today's and today's friend is tomorrow's bitter foe. Only a few legislators are willing to sit in the Opposition bench. Almost all the national parties have their respective units in Manipur. Regional parties are also mushrooming as well. But as far as politics is concerned all are in the same category in the eyes of the public.
Party ideology, principle and discipline are words irrelevant in the State's politics. It may sound bizarre but true that both the parties as well as electorate could not control the legislators once they are elected to the august House. Naturally years of reckless politics and game of defection have compounded the problems of Manipuris.
The crying need of Manipur today is a stable Government, whose size is small but effective, responsible and responsive to the needs of the masses. The immediate tasks to be taken up by the next Ministry are reviving the economy, maintaining the law and order, streamlining the administration and above all regaining public confidence. But will the next Government be stable enough to tackle these pressing issues effectively? It is unlikely. Unless, of course, all the parties reform themselves.
Politics of defection and party hopping is to be given a final burial. All the parties will have to enforce a modicum of party discipline and all the legislators will have to not only perform, but also behave responsively. Encouraging defection will only bring instability as was witnessed in the seventh Manipur Assembly. But it is very difficult to believe that our legislators will realize these, refrain from party hopping and live up to the expectation of the people.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)
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