Imphal: BJP leader and Union Law and Justice minister, Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said that BJP is pushing the country forward in development. “And as such, Manipur and other states in the Northeast region cannot be put behind,” he added. “Development of the Northeast region is needed for pushing the country forward,” he further added.
The Union minister who is on a visit in the state was addressing a “mega yuva conclave” of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Manipur Pradesh held at THAU Ground in Imphal today.
Rijiju then said that his party (BJP) is seeking blessing from the people of Manipur not for the party but for the welfare and development of the state.
According to Kiren Rijiju, after the Narendra Modi-led BJP government came to power, there were no more communal clashes across the country. “As such, the government can concentrate on the implementation of welfare and development schemes,” the Union minister also said. He alleged that the Congress used to run the country with its habitual divide and rule policy. “The party instigated disharmony among the different communities across the country”, Rijiju further alleged.
According to the Union minister, in Manipur too, there was no harmony among the different communities during the Congress rule. There were divides among the major communities – Nagas, Kukis and Meiteis, he added. “However, since the BJP-led coalition government was formed, peace has revisited in the state and all communities live in harmony”, Rijiju claimed. “There is no hills-valley divide in the state and no tension among the people now”, he further claimed.
Rijiju then stated that frequent bandh, blockades on the national highways and strikes came to an end with the coming of the BJP led government in Manipur. The BJP-led coalition made the state free from all such strikes that hindered the developmental activities, he added.
The Union minister then called upon the people of the state to allow BJP to continue to run the state by casting votes in favour of the party candidates. “The BJP is seeking blessing from the people because the party likes to shape the future of the state. The party is pushing the country forward in development. “And as such, Manipur and other states in the Northeast region cannot be put behind,” he added. “Development of the region is needed for pushing the country forward,” he further added.
Rijiju further claimed that BJP’s concern for the welfare and development of Manipur and other Northeast states is reflected in the recent Union budget provisions.
Rijiju, who was in Nagaland on a one-day visit to the state on Saturday, arrived in Imphal today to take part in the election campaigns of the BJP in the poll-bound state.
The 60-seat Manipur Assembly will go to poll in two phases –February 28 and March 5.
A total of 173 candidates are in the fray for the first phase poll which will be held in 38 assembly constituencies spread across six districts while a total of 96 candidates filed their nomination papers for the second phase poll in 22 seats spread across 10 districts of the state.
The nomination papers will be taken up for scrutiny for the second phase on Monday and the last date for withdrawal of candidates is February 16, after which the exact number of candidates will be known.
NNN
