IMPHAL, March 16 - Civil society organisations in Manipur are mounting pressure on titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba to abdicate his position as titular king after he joined electoral politics.
The titular king had filed nomination paper as a BJP candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat for which election is to be held on March 26.
Since the filing of his nomination, many civil society organisations have started pressing him to step down as the titular king of Manipur, citing he must first step down from his position if he wishes to contest election held under the Indian Constitution.
Many civil society organisations, including United People�s Front (UPF), National Identity Protection Council (NIPCO), All Manipur Tammi Chingmi Apunba Lup, AMKIL, EECHAL, MAPI Council and Nupi Samaj have already demanded that he must abdicate his position before going to the Rajya Sabha.
The civil society organisations asserted that they have no objection to the titular king joining electoral politics under the Indian Constitution, but he must step down from his present position.
Joining the chorus, United Committee Manipur (UCM) asserted that it has no objection to the titular king joining electoral politics, but he cannot hold both the positions � titular king and MP at the same time.
Addressing a press conference, UCM president Sunil Karam said that even after the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union, people of the state have been giving due respect to the titular king as if the state is still ruled by a king. The UCM president also said that they have always regarded the king as the head of the state and the mass movement against the state government�s move to take the Royal Palace and the residence of the titular king for developing as historical site in 2013 was a clear example, he further said,
Karam suspected that the titular king joined electoral politics under the influence of the government at the Centre.
Leaders and representatives of various civil society organisations, including women-based civil society organisations were present at the press conference.
Protection and Prevention Committee Manipur (PPCM), an umbrella body of women-based bodies, in another press conference, appealed to the titular king to review his decision of joining electoral politics.
