For Irom Sharmila the politician, core theme remains the same

IMPHAL: Activist Irom Sharmila is fighting a different battle. She has plunged into politics and has vowed to contest in Manipur’s upcoming assembly election.

However, the core political campaign of the woman who fasted for 16 years demanding the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur is centred on the same theme: that is repeal of AFSPA.

The Sharmila-led Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) party has initiated crowd funding and in a short of span time has managed to garner Rs 20 lakh.

Along with two other candidates of her party, Sharmila took a pledge that if they win, they will bring complete transparency and accountability and that every detail of the MLA fund they spend will be put on a website.

Sharmila ended her fast in August last year and declared that she will contest the assembly poll against chief minister O Ibobi Singh. Her party symbol is whistle.

“Doing fasting and contesting election is like different phases of life,” Sharmila told ET. “I have done fasting for last 16 years and for last 15 there is a Congress government in Manipur, led by chief minister Ibobi Singh,” she said.

Sharmila is cycling around the state meeting voters. She is now convinced that the route to repeal of the AFSPA Act is through assembly.

When asked how the party can get the AFSPA Act removed when it is contesting just three seats, PRJA convener Erando Leichombam said: “We did a survey and 99% people in Manipur want AFSPA to go. In 2004, following protest by a group of women, AFSPA was removed from seven constituencies of Imphal.”

According to him, strong political will can make a difference.

“As MLAs we can move a resolution in the state assembly seeking repeal of AFSPA and let us see who supports us. We have not given tickets to anybody and everybody as for us the core values and principles comes first,” Leichombam said. “We have even expelled a candidate for we found him compromising on our main principle. This time we had five month to prepare for polls but next time we will have five long years for preparation.”

The political outfit has listed fighting corruption as one of its top poll promises.

Leichombam said: “We have chosen whistle as the party’s symbol for the whistle signifies fight against conspiracy, injustice. We want to blow the whistle, awake the people and appeal to the conscience of the voter.”