In 2014, Asheibam Bele Singh, then 30, was touring in Italy. He and his friends were hitchhiking, and he eventually found someone who gave them a lift. Some of his friends came with him, others waited behind for another car. A few hours later, when all his friends had reached their destination, one of Singh’s friends told him who gave them a lift.
“It was the Italian Finance Minister,” Singh says as we sit down for a conversation on a bright and sunny morning in his house in Andro, Imphal East. “To this day, I often tell people this story,” he adds. “The finance minister of a country was not only driving around like a normal person but also gave a lift to strangers,” he says.
“Can you imagine something like that in our country?” he asks. Politicians, representing the common folk, are supposed to be like the common folk too, he says, and in a state where money and power are touted as prime factors in winning a seat in the assembly, Singh wants things to change.
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And this explains why he, now 37, is contesting elections from the small town of Andro, Imphal East.
A graduate of agriculture from Central Agriculture University who then went on to do his Masters in Computer Application at PUSA, several factors led to Singh contesting elections.
Singh’s big break came in 2013 when he got a scholarship: The National Overseas Scholarship for Scheduled Caste student sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This took him to The Netherlands, where he did his Masters in Organic Agriculture.
“The two years there taught me so much. I will forever cherish the time there because it showed me a completely different side of the world. For a guy from Manipur, it was nothing less than shocking and amazing to see the level of education, health and even food that the Europeans had, he says.
“But they achieved this through proper governance, which is something I am yet to see. That is why, in my second innings here (returning to Andro), I decided to step into electoral politics. As a young candidate, we can bring development in all sectors,” he says.
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But the route to electoral politics was preceded by several challenges, which Singh overcame, learning important lessons in the process.
A BUMPY RETURN
Reality struck Singh hard when he came back from the Netherlands. With his degree in organic farming, Singh wanted to start his business but soon realised that no banks offered a loan to a ‘young’ guy who had no collateral and/or political connections. Thankfully, a few months later, he got a job in Delhi as a technical assistant in the Ministry of Agriculture.
“Even after I got a job, I knew I was going to return home,” he says, and so he did, in 2017. This time, he started his farm business, combining local practices with all he learnt from his college days and started ‘The Foolish Farm’.
“I strongly believe that agriculture can be sustainable and that the Northeast, where agriculture is of huge importance, can take lead. We have been convinced that agriculture cannot generate a decent income, fund education, etc. I want to change that, and that is why I got into this sector,” he says.
Not content with just farming, Singh also set up two schools, including one residential, to ensure local students received a quality education. His schools currently have over 100 students up to Class 5.
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Soon, however, he realised that for things to change at a much deeper level, he had to take the next step. “I knew I was going to contest elections about 18 months ago,” he says. That was, however, easier said than done.
ANDRO: The town, the electoral fight, and Singh’s hopes
The town of Andro, located in Imphal East, has about 35,000 voters but presents an interesting mix of voters. About 8,000 of the voters are from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, to which Singh belongs, while another 13,000-14,000 people are from the Pangal Meitei community. The rest are from the General category. This, according to a local, gives a lot of hope to Singh.
“The Muslims and the SC community are much more united than the General community, which is represented by BJP heavyweight candidate Shyamkumar Thounaojam, and NPP candidate Sanjay Singh Lourembam. Bele has more than a good chance despite not having the money and the muscle power,” says a teacher who did not wish to be named as he is a government employee.
“We are going to vote for Bele (Singh) because he is one of us. He sits with us, talks to us as equals and does not bribe us. Rather, he wants to empower us instead of him using us to gain power,” he adds.
How Singh became an independent candidate is also an interesting story.
“I wanted to contest as an independent from the start, but my seniors explained that having the backing of a party would be of help. I chose Manipur People’s Party, over 50 years old, and has a rich tradition and history. As an old party, it has a good base and is well known to locals,” he says.
However, just when he was about to file his nomination, the party was banned from fighting elections.
“The excuse given was that our party did not have an office bearer (president), which was initially a setback, but we have recovered from it,” Singh says. “I still have their support, but officially I am an independent candidate now,” says Singh, whose election symbol has its own story too.
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“As an independent, we are given options to choose by the Election Commission. One was an apple, the other was a pineapple. Andro is famous for its pineapples, and as a result, there was no way I would not pick that as my symbol!” says Singh.
WILL POPULARITY TURN INTO ELECTORAL SUCCESS?
It is clear that Singh enjoys considerable support in his community, as visible on Sunday, February 13, when he held a small meeting in his village. There was no ‘stage’, no attractions, and no tents to house the people, yet people turned up in hundreds. Instead of Singh talking about himself, the local community leaders came out openly in his support: from village chiefs to citizens to intellectuals, everyone believes Singh is the ideal choice for Andro.
“We do not need promises; rather, we need work done. We need hospitals, we need employment, and we need education. Bele understands these issues. Instead of living a comfortable life, he came back to fight for us. Look at how many youths have come to support him: they see him as a role model. I am sure he will win,” said resident Inaocha Sharungbam.
It is the local support that has given Singh the confidence to take on BJP and NPP.
“I do not see it (lack of money) as a disadvantage. Unlike others, I have been working with youths for years now, and we have resorted to WhatsApp, Facebook to convey our message. Since the past year, we have held various workshops and meetings to explain the importance of democracy and why the youth must take part in the same.
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“Thanks to technology, we have been able to reach out to thousands. I think it is good that we are not dependent on money. I want to show the locals, especially youth, that an alternative is possible. I want them to believe that democracy is powered by the people, not money,” he says.
For now, Singh, as well as his supporters, hope that the coming verdict day they are as joyous as they are today, basking in the sun.
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