There have been many female faces in the politics of Manipur. One needs to go back as far as 2017 to Iron Lady Irom Sharmila Chanu when she broke her 16-year-old long fast against AFSPA to contest elections from Thoubal Constituency. Another name has been added to that list: Thounaojam Brinda, who works for the Manipur Police, will be leaving her service career behind and contesting elections from the Yaiskul constituency of Imphal East District. While Sharmila lost, much to the dismay of everyone, Thounaojam seems clear about her intentions to win.
Who is Thounaojam Brinda?
Thounaojam Brinda is the daughter-in-law of RK Meghen, the former chairman of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF). She claims that being linked to a political party has been a significant impediment. She has had her integrity questioned and called an anti-national while not being trusted with confidential matters. However, she is determined not to let this in the way of her efforts to protect constitutional rights.
Brinda is the first police officer from the narcotics division in Manipur to be ever decorated with a gallantry award. Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh honoured the police medal to her. She, however, returned the gallantry award later in protest over former ADC chairman Chandel Lukhosei Zou being acquitted along with six others in a high profile drug haul case in 2018.
Looking ahead the political career
Soon after her announcement, she joined the JD(U) and launched verbal attacks on Congress and BJP. Brinda termed Congress as dying party in Manipur, time and tested. Taking a dig at the BJP, she said the BJP MLA of her constituency Thokhcom Satyabrata Singh had done nothing much except to provide a “paper-thin topping” on the roads. She claimed to have more competition from the Nationalist People’s Party (NPP) candidate than the BJP or Congress. Brinda called the present chief minister’s regime pathetic and ineffectual. She claimed that it led people nowhere and supported drug cartels.
Clarifying her position in the party in an interview with News18, she said, “I am not after portfolio but winning for me is essential. I being elected shall be a slap on the face for those who shy away from initiating developmental work, with the pretext of portfolios and paucity of funds. I need to win to prove that being in opposition one can perform and excel too.”
“A strong opposition makes the democracy vibrant and oriented. I am not in the rat race of being in the ruling or opposition but a victory is what I deserve. My experience in the civil service shall empower me to perform as a good administrator in the public domain,” Brinda added.
She hopes to provide more opportunities to women in Manipur politics, citing the abysmally low ratio of 1:20 women in the present cabinet proposed by the BJP. With the state set to go to the polls in two phases commencing on February 27th and March 3rd, it remains to be seen if there is space for politicians like her in the state’s political landscape.
(Edited by Garvit Bhirani)
