IMPHAL June 3: The Congress would have won majority seats in the Autonomous District Council election had there been a free and fair election without the interference and intimidation from armed militant groups, claimed deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam.
Addressing media persons during a marathon press meet which lasted two hours at the Manipur Congress Bhawan, today, Gaikhangam who is also the State Home minister claimed his party has been the main victim during the recent ADC election.
He, also, denied any link up with Kuki militants during the election process.
When the Zalenbung DCC under Ukhrul ADC case was cited, where in three polling stations Kuki militants allegedly cast all the votes at gun point and later when a public mob broke the ballot box at Malom around 90 percent of the votes cast were found in favour of his party candidate, the MPCC president brushed it aside as some people trying to blackmail the Congress and said they have recommended re-polls.
`The Election Commission needs to recognize voting under duress and intimidation not just for the present case but also during Legislative and Parliamentary elections. Methodology to address such situations needs to be developed. As of now technically unless the presiding officer recommends, the other authorities can do nothing`™ he observed.
NSCN-IM and its subsidiary groups have created a lot of disturbance in the ADC election process through intimidation, he claimed.
It is an undeniable fact that armed NSCM cadres were directly involved, alleged the deputy Chief Minister.
It has been embarrassing to witness BJP`™s propaganda when they cannot even be an alternative. Such approach seems to be merely aiming at strengthening NPF with an understanding to confront Congress collectively, he asserted.
One Union Minister had explicitly hinted towards post election alliance with NPF which clearly confirms this intent, he added.
He lambasted the NPF party at length accusing it as backed and created by NSCN-IM and said that NPF will only destabilized the State with predictable provocations.
`It is unfortunate for BJP to ally with such an anti-State party`™, he said.
On a hopeful note, the deputy Chief Minister claimed, `Despite all this incidents we trust that we will be a majority in four out of the six constituents.`™
On the presence of central security forces during the election, Gaikhangam said in some areas they were mere spectators in the guise that they are meant for counter insurgency and local law and order does not require their interventions.
`We had expected them to carry out area sanitization and area domination against the presence of militant groups`™ he said.
After a repetitive discussion on encroachment at Dzukho areas, somebody pointed out that the government as a trend seems to respond only after bandh and general strikes are called by public thus encouraging such culture.
However, Gaikhangam claimed that the government has been strategizing all along.
