© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
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Journalism of Courage
In a candidate field abound with crorepatis, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Ningthoujam Popilal Singh stands out. Not only is the 26-year-old the youngest candidate in the fray, he has also not declared any assets.
Singh is contesting from the Sekmai Assembly seat that will go to the polls in the first phase of the two-phase elections on February 28. Of the 173 candidates featuring in this phase, over half (91) are crorepatis.
Asked why he was contesting the polls, Singh told The Indian Express that among his many motivations was challenging the dogma that being “rich and powerful” is a prerequisite for contesting elections.
Singh said he wanted to show that money was not the only solution and a good leader could bring change. “Politics is a very powerful platform that can change people’s lives for the better. Unfortunately, this platform has become the playground for rich and power-hungry people. So much so, it has become a trend that being rich and powerful is a prerequisite for contesting elections. If we really want to save our generation, we need to choose a good leader and stop thinking about short-term gains,” he added.
The NCP candidate, who has a pending defamation case from 2018, completed his BA from Manipur University in 2016. He initially wanted to contest for the Congress, but quit and joined the NCP after being denied a ticket.
According to his poll affidavit, Singh is a cultivator. He claims he earns his living through private tuition.
Asked how he financed his campaign, Singh said he received donations from his supporters. “More than 3,000 people turned up for my flag-hoisting ceremony and my supporters contributed whatever they could,” Singh added.
Though he is up against heavyweights such as incumbent BJP MLA H Dingo Singh, and former MLA Kh Devendro who is contesting on a Janata Dal (United) ticket, the young NCP leader has a vision for his constituency. He has released a 17-point manifesto detailing his plan if elected. Popilal Singh has promised to spend 20 per cent of his MLA funds on education projects. He said even though it had been 50 years since Manipur got statehood, schools in Sekmai were in an “awful condition”. Some of his other promises include improving the health sector, roads and agriculture, development of tourism, and empowering women and the youth.
