The selection of the ruling BJP candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Manipur could not be finalised on Monday during the visit of Ram Madhav, national organising secretary, and Ajay Chambal, national secretary in charge of northeast. With competing sections demanding selection of their candidates, indications are that an announcement might be made soon after the two secretaries submit their reports. The election, if necessary, will be held on March 26.
The claims have not caused surprise to anyone as the State BJP has been riven with factionalism for a long time.
After the core committee meeting attended by Chief Minister N. Biren, some ministers and senior party leaders, the two BJP secretaries had a closed door meeting with Mr. Biren. It is not known what transpired in the meeting. Later the national secretaries had left Imphal.
Reports say some Ministers and party leaders want re-nomination of State BJP president K. Bhabananda. Another section wants nomination of one of the former presidents — Meinam Bhorot, Haobam Borobabu and T.Chaoba.
The issue was further complicated as the Kuki tribals under the banner Kuki Impi Manipur say one of them should be nominated. The long-standing demand of the people of the seven Assembly segments in Thoubal district is that one person from these segments should be selected as compensation for being denied the right to contest the MP seat. As these segments had been included in the reserved seat, these non-tribal voters can elect the MP but they themselves cannot contest the same. It is also reported that some groups wanted Mr. Biren to be sent away from State politics as MP.
Mr. Biren claims that in the 60-member House, he enjoys the support of 40 MLAs though the BJP had bagged 21 seats in the March 2017 Assembly polls.
