New in the Northeast | A CM post, poisoned vultures, and Zelensky tea | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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New in the Northeast | A CM post, poisoned vultures, and Zelensky tea

Mar 23, 2022 05:19 PM IST

The fight for the top post in Manipur finally ended with Biren Singh on top. A hundred endangered vultures and an eagle were killed after they consumed meat, and Zelensky tea in Assam

In Manipur, the crown goes to...

Finally, after deliberations and lobbying, Biren was selected on Sunday and a formal announcement was made by Sitharaman in Imphal. (PTI) PREMIUM
Finally, after deliberations and lobbying, Biren was selected on Sunday and a formal announcement was made by Sitharaman in Imphal. (PTI)

Sometimes, having choices can be a difficult thing. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership witnessed that in choosing a new chief minister (CM) for Manipur — a state where it returned to power for a second consecutive term earlier this month. This time, it bagged 11 more seats than it did in 2017, getting 32 of the total 60 assembly seats, and securing a majority on its own.

The victory on March 10 brought a lot of cheer among the saffron party’s leaders as well as workers. But for more than a week after that victory, the BJP hadn’t been able to finalise someone to head the government. The problem wasn’t because there were no options. But there was more than one choice.

While the party decided to contest the polls without a chief ministerial candidate, after the results, it had to choose between caretaker CM N Biren Singh, who headed the BJP’s first-ever government in Manipur, and Th Biswajit Singh, a former minister in Biren’s Cabinet and someone seen as playing a crucial role in the party’s rise in the state in past few years.

Both Biren and Biswajit kept their lips shut on their ambitions and said that they would abide by the party’s decision on who would head the next government. But there were intense backroom parleys and attempts by those close to both leaders to put out stories in the media about how one was more suitable than the other.

Last week, the party leadership called both Biren and Biswajit to Delhi twice in a span of five days. On their return to Imphal from the first trip, both stated that there were no discussions on government formation or selection of a CM. They went to Delhi for the second time on Saturday and returned the next day accompanied by BJP leaders and Union ministers, Nirmala Sitharaman and Kiren Rijiju, central observer and co-observer respectively, entrusted with the task of overseeing the election of the party’s leader of legislature.

Finally, after deliberations and lobbying, Biren was selected on Sunday and a formal announcement was made by Sitharaman in Imphal after the party’s newly-elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) unanimously made the choice. Biswajit will have to wait for some more time for his chance at the post. It remains to be seen what position in the new government or within the party he is given.

Poison for dogs claims lives of vultures

Assam witnessed a repetition of a disturbing incident last week. A hundred endangered vultures and an eagle were killed after they consumed meat from the carcass of a dead animal which was laced with insecticide. This time Milanpur in Chaygaon in Kamrup district was the scene for it.

Within a span of two days, the scavenging birds fell prey to a common insecticide used by farmers to save their crops from pests. But the chemicals weren’t meant for them. Forest officials found that the carcass, which belonged to a small animal, probably a goat, was meant to target stray dogs that had become a menace in the area.

Officials found the carcass was laced with a powdery substance identified as organophosphate (a type of insecticide). Forest officials were able to rescue eight vultures by inducing them to vomit. Instead of burying them, which could have led to the insecticide spreading in the soil after rains, the dead birds were burnt in the field where they were found.

There have been several instances of vultures dying after consuming carcasses of poisoned animals in Assam in the past few years. In January and February last year, 56 vultures died in Tinsukia district in two separate incidents after consuming poisoned carcasses of cows.

In April 2020, 19 vultures had died on a single day in Sivasagar district after consuming the meat of a dead cow. In March 2019, 39 vultures had died in the same district after consuming poisoned meat.

In Assam, Zelensky in the teacup

Russia’s aggression of its neighbour Ukraine, which is being televised to homes across the world, is the most dominating news in the past few weeks. While Russian President Vladimir Putin is a known world figure, the events unfolding in Ukraine have made the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky a name recognised everywhere now.

The way in which the comedian-turned-politician is putting up a brave fight against the much more powerful Russian attack and urging his countrymen to rally together to launch counter-attacks along with his interviews, speeches and appeals addressing all countries to come to Ukraine’s aid have won him millions of admirers.

Amid all this, a startup in Assam, which is known for launching brands of speciality tea decided last week to come up with its latest offer for tea lovers across the globe. Ranjit Baruah, director of Aromica Tea, named his new brand of speciality tea, Zelensky.

With the tagline of “Really Strong”, this brand, which is a blend of Assam CTC tea with orthodox tea, is aimed at honouring the courage and valour of the Ukrainian president.

“In today’s context, Zelensky has emerged as one of the strongest persons in the world showing strength of character and resolve by putting up a fight against the mighty Russians. This tea signifies that character. It has robustness, strength and character and makes a very strong cup of Assam tea, as strong as the Ukrainian president,” said Baruah.

The name of the brand and the publicity it received immediately after its launch has seen a good response for Baruah’s company, which is trying to promote Assam tea globally. The startup’s initiative is another example of making the most of a situation, even though it’s happening thousands of kilometres away from home.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Utpal is a Senior Assistant Editor based in Guwahati. He covers seven states of North-East India and heads the editorial team for the region. He was previously based in Kathmandu, Dehradun and Delhi with Hindustan Times.

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