Manipur, July 15 -- It is not at all unusual anywhere for politicians to change their party affiliations. In fact there are those who believe this is in keeping with the exercise of an individual's fundamental freedom to dissent which gives democracy its unique meaning and power. But it is highly unusual for politicians already elected on the ticket of one party to the Assembly or Parliament, as the case may be, to defect to another party during the term of the Assembly or Parliament. Once upon a time political defection was a norm and this practice was pushed to the farcical limit by politicians all over India, so much so that it was deemed fit to introduce a law to moderate defection, and indeed in 1985 by the 52nd Amendment of the Consti...