Manipur BJP Admits Attacks on Bimol Akoijam Backfired

Unease is reportedly growing within the Manipur unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its handling of the controversy involving Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam. According to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), some senior party leaders privately believe that the public attacks against the MP have strengthened his political standing rather than weakened it.

Akoijam’s support has reportedly increased in recent months, particularly among young people in the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley. His growing public profile has become a concern for sections of the BJP leadership, which is now examining whether its response to the controversy surrounding his dismissal from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was politically miscalculated.

The controversy has triggered competing demonstrations, sharp political exchanges and demands for the MP’s resignation. However, the public reaction has also exposed differences within the BJP, with one party legislator openly expressing confidence in Akoijam and praising his efforts to raise Manipur’s concerns in Parliament.

BJP Leaders Privately Admit Personal Attacks Were a Mistake

According to PTI, a senior BJP leader acknowledged that the party should not have made personal attacks against Akoijam. The leader said the campaign had backfired and criticised the decision to organise a protest against the Congress MP without properly assessing the political mood in the state.

“Look, we should not have made personal attacks on Bimol. It has backfired totally. BJP state president Sharda Devi became overzealous and took out a rally against Bimol over the issue. It was a complete miscalculation of ground reality,” the leader told PTI.

The reported admission points to growing concern within the party about the consequences of its public campaign. While BJP leaders initially sought to make Akoijam’s university dismissal a political issue, the protests and public support that followed appear to have complicated that strategy.

Some senior leaders have privately described the Congress MP’s appeal among young people in the Imphal Valley as unmatched. They believe the party should have responded more cautiously instead of allowing the controversy to turn into a series of personal attacks.

Akoijam’s Growing Popularity Raises Concerns Within BJP

Akoijam’s increasing visibility has reportedly become a subject of discussion among BJP leaders and workers. His position as a Congress MP, combined with his interventions on issues concerning Manipur, has helped him build support among sections of the state’s younger population.

PTI reported that BJP youth workers have also shared concerns about the MP’s growing influence with senior party leaders. Some have sought guidance on how to respond politically to his popularity and counter his expanding public profile.

One senior BJP leader is learnt to have advised party workers to focus on the Congress central leadership’s opposition to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The suggested strategy is to contrast that position with Akoijam’s strong support for the exercise in Manipur.

The advice indicates that some within the BJP are considering shifting the political debate away from personal criticism and towards differences over policy and the positions taken by the Congress leadership.

BJP Leaders Remain Divided Over Akoijam’s Political Future

Not all BJP leaders believe Akoijam’s rising popularity will translate into a sustained political challenge for the party. Some argue that internal divisions within the Manipur Congress could restrict his influence and make it difficult for him to emerge as a dominant figure within the organisation.

The factional differences involving the Congress leadership, particularly the influence of the old guard associated with former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, are being cited as a possible limitation on Akoijam’s political growth.

Congress sources have also reportedly acknowledged that the MP could face significant challenges within his own party. This suggests that while Akoijam has attracted public attention, his long-term political position may depend partly on how he navigates the internal dynamics of the state Congress unit.

JNU Dismissed Bimol Akoijam After Sexual Harassment Inquiry

The controversy began after Jawaharlal Nehru University dismissed Akoijam, a former professor, on October 9 following an inquiry into sexual harassment complaints filed by 11 female students.

Akoijam denied the allegations and questioned the procedure followed by the university. He also described the dismissal as politically motivated and indicated that he would challenge the action through legal means.

The allegations and the university’s disciplinary action became a major political issue in Manipur, with BJP leaders demanding that Akoijam resign from Parliament. The MP’s denial and his objections to the inquiry have remained central to the dispute.

On October 11, Delhi Police registered a first information report (FIR) against Akoijam in connection with the sexual harassment allegations. He subsequently appeared before investigators and said he would pursue legal remedies against his dismissal.

The registration of an FIR does not by itself establish the allegations. The matter remains subject to the relevant legal and investigative processes, while Akoijam has maintained his denial and challenged the action taken by JNU.

BJP Women’s Wing Organises Protest Against Congress MP

Following Akoijam’s dismissal, the BJP’s women’s wing organised a protest march on October 10 towards Congress Bhavan in Imphal. Protesters demanded that the Congress MP resign from Parliament over the allegations.

Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh also called for Akoijam’s resignation. Former chief minister N Biren Singh questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s support for the MP, bringing the controversy into the wider political debate between the BJP and Congress.

The BJP’s campaign subsequently extended beyond Manipur. On October 13, a delegation of BJP women MPs, including state party president A Sharda Devi, met President Droupadi Murmu and sought her intervention in the matter.

The party’s women’s wing also held demonstrations in Delhi and other locations. Meanwhile, the BJP youth wing organised another march in Imphal on October 16, continuing the campaign against Akoijam.

Public Demonstrations Emerge in Support of Akoijam

Alongside the BJP-led protests, demonstrations in support of Akoijam also took place in Manipur. On October 14, a large group of people, most of them reportedly young, marched towards the BJP’s state headquarters in Imphal.

The demonstrators accused the ruling party of politically targeting the Congress MP. Some protesters attempted to enter the BJP office but were stopped by police personnel deployed at the location.

Another group organised a sit-in outside Akoijam’s residence. Some participants said they had no political affiliation and were protesting because they believed the MP was being unfairly targeted.

The demonstrations suggested that the controversy had moved beyond the immediate dispute over the university’s action. It had become a wider political issue involving public perceptions of the BJP, the Congress and the handling of allegations against a sitting MP.

BJP MLA Tongbram Robindro Singh Expresses Trust in Akoijam

One of the notable developments in the controversy was the public position taken by BJP MLA Tongbram Robindro Singh. Unlike several senior party leaders who criticised Akoijam, Robindro Singh expressed trust and respect for the Congress MP.

He praised Akoijam’s efforts to raise issues concerning Manipur in Parliament. At the same time, he urged the MP to pursue legal remedies to clear his name in connection with the allegations.

Robindro Singh’s remarks highlighted differences within the BJP over how the controversy should be approached. His position also reflected the distinction between raising questions about the university’s action and taking a political stand on the allegations themselves.

Congress Accuses BJP of Using the Controversy for Political Gain

The Manipur Congress has defended Akoijam and accused the BJP of attempting to gain political mileage from the allegations. State Congress president and former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said the controversy was being used to divert attention from the continuing ethnic conflict in Manipur.

Ibobi Singh questioned the timing of the allegations and the political campaign surrounding the MP. However, he also maintained that the law should take its course, distinguishing the legal process from the political exchanges between the two parties.

The Congress has therefore sought to challenge the BJP’s campaign while maintaining that the allegations should be addressed through the appropriate legal procedures.

Akoijam’s 2024 Lok Sabha Election Victory Adds to BJP’s Concerns

BJP insiders have also pointed to Akoijam’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha election while assessing his political influence in Manipur. The Congress candidate defeated BJP nominee Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh in the Inner Manipur constituency by a margin of 1,09,801 votes.

Akoijam secured 3,74,017 votes, while the BJP candidate received 2,64,216 votes. The result gave the Congress MP a substantial electoral mandate and established his position as an important political figure in the constituency.

His performance was also significant in Singjamei, the Assembly constituency represented by Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh. Akoijam received 9,386 votes there, compared with 3,937 votes for the BJP candidate, giving him a lead of 5,449 votes.

These figures have reportedly become part of the BJP’s internal assessment of the MP’s influence. His electoral performance, combined with the public demonstrations in his support, has made the political consequences of the controversy more difficult for the party to ignore.

Manipur BJP Reassesses Its Strategy as Controversy Continues

The developments surrounding Akoijam have created a complicated political situation for the Manipur BJP. The party initially responded to the JNU dismissal and sexual harassment allegations with public criticism and demonstrations demanding his resignation. However, the reaction among sections of the public, particularly young people in the Imphal Valley, has reportedly prompted some senior leaders to question that approach.

The reported private criticism of the party’s campaign suggests that BJP leaders are considering a change in strategy. Rather than continuing personal attacks, some leaders appear to favour highlighting political and policy differences between Akoijam and the Congress central leadership.

At the same time, divisions within the Manipur Congress could influence the MP’s future political position. The legal proceedings concerning the allegations and Akoijam’s challenge to his dismissal will also remain important developments in the controversy.

For now, the dispute has become a test of political messaging and public perception in Manipur. The BJP’s internal reassessment, the Congress’s defence of its MP and the competing demonstrations have ensured that the controversy remains a significant issue in the state’s political debate.