Two days after the Election Commission of India allotted “whistle” as election symbol to Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), party convener Erendro leichombam on Monday announced that Human rights activist Irom Sharmila will contest from Thoubal Assembly constituency represented by Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh in the State Assembly elections scheduled for March 4 and 8.
Ending her 16-year-long fasting demanding repealing of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) on August 9 last year, she had announced her decision to enter politics, contest elections and continue her fight against AFSPA through political means. Popularly known as the Iron lady of Manipur, Sharmila also declared that she wants to become the Chief Minister so that she could press for repeal of the contentious AFSPA.
While launching her party PRJA in October last year, Sharmila said she will contest from two seats — Thoubal and Khurai. However, no official announcement has been made so far whether she is also contesting Khurai, the Assembly constituency in which Sharmila belongs.
Erendro said the party has already started campaigning in Thoubal for Sharmila. The PRJA is likely to field altogether 10 candidates for the Assembly elections, he added.
On party symbol, Erendro said the main reason behind choosing the image of whistle is “to awaken the people to end corruption”.
He added the “whistle” signifies many things — whistle to announce the Peoples Resurgence for Justice, whistle to neutralise the oppression linked with the sound currently used by the Indian Army under AFSPA, whistle to tell the corrupt lots in Manipur that their time is up and whistle to awaken the youth of Manipur and to take things in our own hands to change.
When the party wins, they will blow the whistle to celebrate people’s victory, he added.
The newly floated party, which is making debut in this election, has been running ‘Ten4Change’ campaign to “raise funds” and interact with the youth about the “need to bring a change in Manipur”. In ‘Ten4Change’ campaign, the party is generating funds from participants by urging them to voluntarily donate Rs 10 each.