PRJA

| Mar 4, 2017, 14:40 IST

The youngest party in India, founded in Manipur on 18 October, 2016, was a result of Irom Sharmila's decision to break her 16-year-long fast, which she began to protest against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the state. The decision to launch the party on October 18 was taken "with the intention to commemorate the inauguration of the historic First Manipur Assembly on the same day in 1948."

The primary agenda of the party is to repeal AFSPA from the state. Sharmila's statement just after breaking her fast may further clarify the ideology of the political party. She said, "In Manipur, there is no real democracy. Politics is so dirty here and everyone knows it. Manipuri society is also involved in this dirtiness but no one accepts it. That’s the problem ... I want to become the chief minister so I can change society here."

Despite her long fast cum protest, AFSPA has not been repealed in the state. Jumping into active politics by forming a regional party and challenging the status quo government led by Okram Ibobi Singh seemed to be the only possibility for the Iron lady to achieve the goal of repealing the special act. Subsequently, Sharmila became the co-convenor of the party, which also includes a number of other activists and entrepreneurs.
Erendro Leichombam
, an educationist and entrepreneur, is another convenor of the party. 33-year-old Leichombam has a post graduate degree in economic policy from Harvard University and has been a World Bank Fellow.

The party has finalised the names of four candidates to fight the Assembly elections in 2017 against the ruling Congress. Sharmila herself will contest from two constituencies - Thoubal and Khurai. Thoubal is the home turf of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, which he has been winning for past three consecutive terms, while, Khurai is Sharmila's home constituency. Erendro Leichombam will stand against BJP’s star candidate Khumukcham Joykishan in Thangmeiband constituency.

The names of the other two candidates that were announced at the public meeting are of rights activist
Najma Phundreimayum
– who will contest as a PRJA candidate from Wabagai constituency – and environment activist James Mayengbam, who will contest from the Mourang assembly constituency. A resident of Santhel Mamang Leikai, Najma Phundreimayum has been a women's rights activist and the first and only Muslim candidate in the state.

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