Warm Reception for Congress Candidate: I choose Congress because of its ideology, says Professor A. Bimol Akoijam

A professor from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, has said that he chose to join the Indian National Congress (INC), the grand-old party, and contest the 18th Lok Sabha Elections from the party ticket as he likes and shares the party’s ideology of diversity and secularism.

Bimol Akoijam, who will be representing the Congress party in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections for Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, made the statement while interacting with INDIA Bloc leaders at Congress Bhavan, Imphal on Sunday. The Congress candidate was warmly welcomed by a large group of Congress workers, leaders, well-wishers and supporters at Imphal International Airport today.

While speaking at the programme, Bimol said he has no intention of contesting the election but after seeing the problems of the people in the present state conflict and the political game plan involved in it, he took the decision to participate in electoral politics.

Claiming that he had heard about intending candidates spending money to get a party ticket, the professor said that the Congress party's decision to give him the party ticket without letting him spend any money could be the first of its kind in the history of Manipur. Bimol also said that the upcoming election is not just a mere election for him but it is a platform and stepping stone to start doing something for the State.

"By handing me the Congress ticket for the election, the Congress party has shown its commitment to social and political transformation,” Bimol said, appealing the people of Manipur to cast their votes to bring a new political culture in the State of Manipur.

Alfred Kangam Arthur, who will be representing the Congress in Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, said politics is the mechanism and engine for bringing change or even destroying a nation. "Under the BJP regime, the people have lost their power," he said, and accused the safron party's ideology of being a destructive side of politics. None of the people in Manipur would believe that democracy still exists in Manipur, he added.

The Congress candidate for the Inner Manipur seat will be contesting the elections along with Manipur People’s Party candidate Rajkumar Somendro Kaiku and Mahesh Thounaojam of the RPI(Athawale).

The BJP has not announced any candidate to represent the party till date. However, the Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has said that the BJP candidate would be announced by Monday.