NCP names 14 candidates for Manipur polls

IMPHAL: A day after the ruling Congress named its candidates for the ensuing 10th Manipur assembly polls, the opposition NCP, which is a key member of the pre-poll opposition alliance - People's Democratic Front (PDF) - on Saturday named 14 candidates in its first list of nominees.

Manipur NCP unit president and opposition leader Radha Binod Koijam, popularly known as RB in political circles, three sitting MLAs of the party - Th Nandakishor Singh, Salam Joy and Doukhomang Khongsai - and five former legislators are among the listed candidates.

On the recommendation of the state NCP unit's election committee, the central election committee has approved the 14 names as the party's candidates, said a statement released by Koijam, also a former chief minister.

Besides NCP, the other partners of the PDF, whose primary target is to take on and defeat the ruling Congress in the polls scheduled for January 28, are the regional Manipur People's Party (MPP), JD(U), RJD and CPI(M). Though BJP is not a member of the grand pre-poll alliance, the saffron party and MPP have worked out a seat-sharing arrangement in certain constituencies.

Meanwhile, a large number of political parties are gearing up for house-to-house campaigns in the valley areas to woo the voters. The Congress, which is facing a ban and a 'perpetual threat' from CorCom, the apex body of seven underground organizations operating in the state, is carrying out its campaign on a low key even as the ECI has assured deployment of adequate security for conducting the polls smoothly without any disturbances from any anti-social forces.

Official sources said around 350 companies of central paramilitary forces, in addition to the state forces, would be pressed into service in the single-phase election.

On Friday last, the ruling party, Congress, announced its candidates for all sixty constituencies. The list includes two senior sitting MLAs of the opposition Manipur People's Party (MPP) and one RJD legislator.