IMPHAL: Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has posed a series of questions to the BJP over a news report that claimed that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Ram Madhav allegedly took help from the Kuki militants in Manipur to secure wins for the BJP in the 2017 assembly elections in the state and also the 2019 parliamentary polls.
According to a report published by India Today NE, a 2019 letter by the leader of one of the Kuki outfits under SoO to union home minister Amit Shah, claimed that two BJP leaders — Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Ram Madhav – had taken help of these Kuki organizations to win the 2017 assembly elections in Manipur.
It may be mentioned here that the BJP stormed to power in Manipur for the first time in 2017.
The letter was one of the annexures attached along with an affidavit filed by SS Haokip, chairman of the United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF), in an NIA court on June 8, 2023.
UKLF is one of the armed Kuki organisations under suspension of operations (SoO).
In the letter, according to the news report, the UKLF leader alleged that, in 2017, his organization and another Kuki outfit United People Front (UPF) got BJP candidates elected, as per an ‘agreement’ with Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswa Sarma.
“I took a very important role in the formation of BJP-led government in the state. To be very frank had these been not supported by us it would have been almost impossible to install the BJP-led government in the state. In the recently concluded parliamentary election, BJP candidate secured almost 80-90 per cent votes within the area of our operation,” read the letter.
Following the publish of this report, the Congress has slammed the BJP for allegedly taking help from militant organisations during elections in Manipur.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has questioned the central leadership of the BJP on what action the party will take against the two leaders – Himanta Biswa Sarma and Ram Madhav.
Surjewala said that the allegations against the two BJP leaders are “truly disturbing and depicts an unpardonable compromise with national security, if assertions are proved”.
“Did BJP take assistance of Kuki Militants to fight the Manipur elections? Did BJP take the help of same Kuki Militants during 2019 Lok Sabha Polls? Were PM & HM aware of help sought from Kuki Militants? If yes, how could they sanction it? If not, why were they blissfully unaware? Does it not brazenly compromise our National Interests? Do electoral gains far outweigh the interests of the country for Modi Govt? What action will PM, HM, Modi Govt and BJP take against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma & Ram Madhav? Will NIA register a case against them and investigate the links, if any? Will Mr. J.P. Nadda, BJP President take action? Does cohabitating with a militant outfit not violate the oath of office by Assam CM? Does he have right to continue in office till the conclusion of the investigations?” the Congress leader questioned.