Anti-NDA move fails; multi-cornered contests likely in Manipur

IMPHAL, August 26: All efforts by political parties to combine forces against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in Manipur during the coming Lok Sabha elections have failed and a multi-cornered contest appears unavoidable, since, according to them, the Congress wanted other parties to support its own candidates. Following failure of talks to forge a unity among all anti-NDA forces, the Secular Democratic Front (SDF) and the Congress declared their respective list of candidates for the Inner and Outer Manipur constituencies. Khaidem Mani Singh of the Manipur People's Party (MPP) is the SDF nominee from Inner Manipur while TS. Gangte of the Communist Party of India (CPI) is the SDF candidate from the Outer seat. The Congress has decided to field Nimaichand Luwang, who unsuccessfully contested in the last Lok Sabha elections from Inner Manipur. The party is yet to make up its mind on the candidature for the Outer seat as several aspirants are trying for a ticket. Member of the dissolved Lok Sabha, T Chaoba Singh of the Manipur State Congress, will try his luck again from the Inner seat on an NDA ticket while another member of the dissolved House, Kim Gangte of the Samata Party is likely to be nominated by NDA for the Outer Manipur seat. However, the candidature of Gangte is yet to be finalised since BJP is also keen to contest the seat. The BJP had called for applications from candidates to fight the Outer seat and negotiations with other partners of NDA are on to sort out the matter, according to party sources. Gangte won the Outer Manipur seat last time on a CPI ticket and recently left the party to join Samata Party. Oinam Rameo of the Rajiv Congress and Selkai Hrangchal of the Rashtriya Janata Dal have also announced their candidatures from Inner and Outer seats respectively.