IMPHAL, May 4–Former Manipur mp kim Gangte has condemned Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga’s decision of fielding a candidate to contest in the outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency in the ongoing 14th Lok Sabha polls as “very much destructive and criminal.” Kim Gangte is one of the six candidates in the fray for the outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The others include Rosangzuala, a Mizo, contesting on a Janata Dal - United (jd-u) ticket.
“It is fortunate again that Zoramthanga has sent a candidate from Aizawl to contest in the outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. But if he really cares for the tribals, particularly as he says that the Kukis and Mizos are one, if he really thinks we are one, he could have supported me or any one of the other candidates,” the first woman mp of Manipur accused during a press conference at her residence in Langol games village, a few kilomtres from Imphal.
“This is very unfortunate, because this outer Manipur, the only constituency where the kukis and other ethnic tribals can have a representative,” she lamented. Terming the Mizoram Chief Minister’s decision as “very much destructive and criminal,” Kim Gangte continued, “this will never bring any unity among the ethnic Kukis. It will only divide us more as many of our people now thinks Zoramthanga does not bother about us by sending from someone from Mizoram to contest.”
Meanwhile,she lambasted Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi for his lack of knowledge about the Sajik Tampak encounter between security forces and underground outfits along the Indo-Myanmar border. “I just do not believe that the Army can solve the problem. The problem in Manipur and the other north eastern States is a Political one and hence requires a political solution,” Kim Gangte told mediapersons Monday morning at her house at Langol games village.
On April 25 last, Chief Minister o Ibobi had denied Knowledge of the ongoing flushing out operations being carried in the Sajik Tampak area, stating that the Central authority is yet to officially inform the Manipur government about the operation. The ongoing operation is being conducted under special orders from the Centre to ensure a free and fair polls, and it is not under the State government control, he had added. Terming the Chief Minister’s statement as “very unfortunate,” the first woman mp of Manipur stated, “we must know that the villagers in the area are suffering with the Army, the Assam rifles and other regiments entering there for a gun battle.
The Army is very strict about the villagers’ coming and goings.” In another development, even as the state is in its last legs of the polling process for the ongoing 14th lok sabha polls, the inhabitants of altogether 15 villages in Churachandpur district of Manipur have not been able to exercise their franchise. A formal complaint has been lodged with the election commission of india, through the assistant returning officer of Churachandpur district in this regard,she added.