Will ‘Brand Modi’ Work in Manipur? Oppn Corners BJP over Ethnic Clashes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Assam and Tripura for a two-day long election campaign on Tuesday and Wednesday. Although Modi is one of the star campaigners for the BJP in Manipur, he is unlikely to visit the state, which has been witnessing violent ethnic clashes for the past one year, writes ETV Bharat's Gautam Debroy.

New Delhi: ‘Brand Modi’ may be the biggest electoral draw for BJP across the country, but in Manipur that has become a liability for the party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Assam and Tripura during a two-day-long election campaign on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, Modi is unlikely to visit Manipur, which has been witnessing violent ethnic clashes for the past one year.

“Yes, he (Modi) should visit Manipur. People of this northeastern state (Manipur) had been eagerly waiting for his visit. At least when the election is round the corner, he should pay a visit,” said Suhas Chakma, director of Rights and Risk Analysis Group, a non-governmental organisation.

Chakma’s organisation works on human rights issues among others. “People of Manipur are hurt by the Prime Minister’s indifference and this can be neglected in the upcoming election in the state,” said Chakma. Violence broke out between the state’s majority Meiteis and the tribal Kuki community on May 3, 2023. Since then both the communities in the state have been segregated from each other with the conflict wedging an unprecedented ethnic divide, but Modi did not visit the State even for a single time in the last year.

The Meitei-dominated Inner Manipur will go to polls on April 19. The ST-reserved Outer Manipur constituency will go for polling on April 19 and 26 for security reasons. “People of Manipur are feeling neglected by the way the Central government run by the BJP is handling the conflict. It's more surprising that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Assam and Tripura for a poll campaign, he is not coming to the State,” said Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Meghachandra Singh to this correspondent.

In fact, the opposition Congress in Manipur is attacking the BJP over the issue during the election campaign in the state. When this correspondent spoke to a few BJP leaders, they were also clueless about Modi’s Manipur visit. “Yes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Assam and Tripura. He will land in Assam this evening. He will campaign for the party candidate from Barpeta Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday. After his Assam campaign, Modi will go to Tripura to attend another election campaign. We are not aware about Modi’s Manipur visit,” said Phanindranath Sarma, general secretary of BJP in Assam.

Echoing the same view, BJP’s Darjeeling candidate and one of the star campaigners for the party for Manipur, Raju Bista told ETV Bharat that the Manipur visit is not included in the schedule of the Prime Minister’s Northeast visit. “As of now, the Prime Minister is visiting Assam and Tripura,” said Bista.

The opposition in Manipur has been trying to corner the BJP in Manipur. “There is no guarantee for Manipur in BJP’s agenda,” said Meghachandra while referring to some of the billboards with Modi’s picture announcing his “guarantees” dot the streets of the state.

Interestingly, Modi’s name has been included as one of the star campaigners of the party in Manipur. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president JP Nadda, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal are among other star campaigners for the BJP in Manipur.

Home Minister Shah, who had been in Manipur on Monday, claimed that the Lok Sabha election in Manipur is between the forces “trying to break Manipur and those keeping it united”. “Attempts were made to alter Manipur’s demography through infiltration,” said Shah and added, “Establishment of peace in Manipur by taking all communities on board and without breaking the state is the priority of the Narendra Modi government.”