Kuki UG groups decide to support INC in Outer PC

IMPHAL, Apr 6: Kuki UG groups which are under trilateral SoO pact with the Government of India and Government of Manipur have decided to support the Congress candidate in Outer Manipur P/C.

UPF and KNO, the two umbrella organisations of several Kuki UG groups, took separate decisions to support the Congress candidate in view of some political parties/candidates campaigning on the line of ethnicity and community affiliations.

However, the decision to support the Congress candidate was adopted separately and there was no prior consultation or correspondence between KNO and UPF in this regard.

Now both UPF and KNO have taken up several measures to ensure victory of the Congress candidate.

The election scenario in Outer Manipur P/C is steadily transforming itself in the form of some political battle between Nagas and Kukis. Given this situation, many Kuki leaders are considering to support a common (Kuki) candidate.

Even though they do not expect the INC candidate to dedicate himself to public welfare programmes, they are fearful that casting votes in favour of different candidates would prove costly for the Kuki community.

UPF has already appealed to village chiefs living in their operational areas both in black and white and verbally to vote for the INC candidate enmasse.

KNO too has made similar appeals in their operational areas.

Sources informed both KNO and UPF see NPF as Naga-centric and they are apprehensive that the NPF candidate would work in the interest of the Nagas only in case he gets elected.

Meanwhile, UPF has withdrawn its decision, as announced in media on June 29 last year to boycott Congress candidate in Outer Manipur P/C in case Government of India and Government of Manipur fail to start political dialogue before the 16th Lok Sabha election.

A decision to withdraw the earlier decision was adopted in a meeting held last month where the reports submitted by UPF delegates who met Central and State leaders in February this year were also reviewed, conveyed a press release issued by it’s information secretary Robinson Chongloi.

Source: Sangai Express