LB Sona likely to be NCP's outer candidate

Imphal, Mar 1 : With the wave of Parliamentary election blowing in the wind, various political parties of the state have begun doing the spade-work.

As such, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is likely to field LB Sona as the party candidate for Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency in the coming Parliamentary election, according to source.

Meanwhile, the MPCC has forwarded the names of eight Congress party ticket contenders for Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency while the names of five aspirants have been chosen to forward to the AICC as party ticket contenders.

Mention may be made that the Manipur People's Party (MPP) and the NCP have already decided to field Prof N Mohindro as the two parties' consensus candidate in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency though his candidature is likely to be announced officially on March 5. On the other hand, LB Sona and Lien Gangte are the two applicants for NCP ticket for Outer Manipur so far.

The party's election committee will decide over the party's candidate on March 2 and then official announcement is expected.

However, source within the party disclosed that the party ticket for Outer Manipur is likely to be favoured to LB Sona.

Discussion for fielding a common candidate for National People's Party (NPP), Manipur People's Party (MPP) and NCP has been initiated for Outer Manipur seat.

Speaking to Hueiyen News Service, an authority within the NCP,Manipur Unit said that there is also high possibility of NPP supporting the NCP candidate in the Outer Manipur constituency though there has been no formal announcement.

In the meantime, eight contenders for the outer Manipur constituency have submitted application for Congress ticket in the last day Saturday while five aspirants from the inner Manipur constituency have submitted their applications.

One application for the outer seat and three applications for the inner have been rejected on ground of incomplete documents.

The names of Congress ticket contenders for outer seat are RK Thekho, Dr Chaltonlien Amo, Ngamkhohen Kipgen, C Doungel, Francis Ngajokpa, Thangso Baite, Jangamlung Panmei and Khanthang Tonsing.

Meanwhile, Congress ticket aspirants for the inner Manipur seat are the incumbent Congress MP, Dr T Meinya, Haji Abul Salam, Dr Maniruddin Sheikh, Irengbam Hemochandra and Seram Mangi.

The names of the aspirants will be forwarded to the AICC for recommendation on March 2.Meanwhile, the Congress Working Committee member, North East in-charge, Lunjin Honreo and AICC general secretary Maj Dev Prakash are scheduled to arrive Imphal tomorrow (March 1) to discuss matter relating to the coming parliamentary election with MPCC leaders, and other frontier organisation leaders.

The Bharatya Janata Party (BJP), after officially declaring the candidature of former CM W Nipamacha as its candidate in the inner constituency, the party has also began discussing candidate for the outer constituency today with the party's general secretary, NE in-charge, Chandrasekhar Rao, who had arrived Imphal yesterday.

The BJP leader has also reportedly met some tribal political leaders today including Lolii Adani and Soso Larho.

The party's candidate for outer Manipur constituency is likely to be made after the BJP National Election Committee meeting to be held on March 5. Even as the election campaign for Dr M Nara for inner Manipur constituency has begun, the party is yet to decide its candidate for the outer Manipur constituency.

The RJD is clear in its stand for not fielding candidates in the coming election in the state and the party is resolved to support Congress candidates in Manipur.