Studying prospects ahead of 2022 : Choosing right candidates
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 01, 2021 -

In a little over 12 months or say a little after one year, Manipur will go for the Assembly elections and how the two principal political parties, the BJP and the Congress fare will largely depend on how they pick their candidates.

No doubt the BJP is riding on a high, especially after the extremely good showing at the 2019 Parliamentary elections but it should not forget that Assembly elections are a totally different kettle of fish and this is where the State BJP leadership will need to put on their thinking caps when they go about with the business of shortlisting the names of the candidates.

And many would be line for the party's ticket when the time comes as the moment seems to be with the BJP, especially after its win in four out of the five Assembly Constituencies in the by elections held recently.

This is where it will get tricky for the saffron party and how it fares in the coming Assembly elections will depend to a large extent on the choice of the people it nominates as its candidates.

Obviously no party will spell out the criteria under which its candidates are chosen, but to the people, what will matter a lot is the credibility of the candidate, his or her background and how effectively the elected member would be able to put forward the interests of the Constituency which he or she represents in the Assembly, to the media and to, the Government, whichever party forms the Government.

These are some of the important credentials which no party can afford to overlook, particularly the two principal political parties, the BJP and the Congress.

It would also do well for all political parties to come to the point that unlike their older-generation, the young voters will not just blindly vote for any candidate without first studying his or her antecedents, the backgrbund and the potential of the candidates in question.

This is where the observation that half the battle may be said to have been won in choosing Line right candidate, gains credence.

This line of thinking stands true for all political parties and not only the BJP and the Congress.

To ideology based political parties like the BJP and the Left parties, the beliefs and principles of the intending candidates will be of prime importance and much will depend on how the State BJP leadership studies these two facets in the personalities of the intending, candidates.

The Congress too will need to get down to the business of weeding out the personalities who are largely seen to be corrupt and arrogant while drawing up the list of the candidates.

The recent by elections in five Assembly Constituencies belonged to the BJP no doubt, but it should not be forgotten that the elections were held when the BJP was in power and this can go a long way in influencing the choice of the voters.

Such a scenario will not be the same when Manipur goes for the Assembly elections in 2022 and this is where the stress on the prospects on the intending candidates becomes important.

This observation is being made in the backdrop of the fact that there are a number of Assembly Constituencies where there are more than two intending BJP candidates and this is where the State BJP leadership and the Central leaders would need to walk the extra mile to pick the candidate of their choice.

The same may not be true in the case of the Congress, but if the recent by elections are any indication then no one can rule out the possibility of the wannabe BJP candidates lining up for the Congress ticket in case they are denied the ticket of the saffron party.

Year 2022 will surely be interesting and poll pundits may have already started reading the tea leaves.