BJP drops minister who questioned Biren govt over ethnic violence; Congress, NPF field new faces

Guwahati: The ruling BJP in Manipur dropped Union Minister of State for External Affairs Raj Kumar Ranjan Singh, who questioned Chief Minister N Biren Singh government's role to control the conflict between the Meitei and the Kuki tribes, for the Meitei-dominated Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency while the Opposition Congress and Naga People's Front (NPF) also fielded new faces.

Ranjan Singh, who caused huge embarrassment to the Manipur government in June when he openly said that the state government run by his own party failed to maintain law and order, was replaced by education minister Basanta Kumar Singh. Singh made the changes after armed mob attacked his residence in Imphal in June amid the ensuing ethnic strife between Meiteis and Kukis.

Sources within BJP told DH that although Basanta Kumar Singh is considered a better candidate keeping in mind his track record as MLA but Singh was denied the ticket for Lok Sabha elections as majority Meiteis were angry over his statement amid the violence.

As the political parties and the leaders faced much criticism over their failure to maintain law and order in the conflict-hit state, ruling BJP and NPF and the Opposition Congress fielded new faces in both the Lok Sabha seats.

The Opposition parties led by Congress have fielded Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, a professor of JNU to contest against Basanta Singh. CPI has, for the first time, fielded its candidate Sontikumar Singh in the Inner Manipur seat.

In the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, where Nagas and Kukis are deciding factors, the Naga People's Front (NPF) also replaced sitting MP Lorho S. Pfoze with Kaxhui Timothy Zimik, a retired Indian Revenue Service office and an alumni of IIM Bangalore. Ruling BJP and its ally National People's Party also decided to support Zimik given the dominance of the Naga voters in the constituency and his credibility and acceptance. Congress and other Opposition parties also named former education minister Alfred K Arthur, who was one of the vocal MLAs. Arthur has been an intended target by miscreants at least thrice before when he was shot at during his rallies ahead of the elections.

Interestingly, a report of Associaiton for Democratic Reforms on Tuesday said two MPs from Manipur asked the least number of questions (only 25) during their tenure since 2019.