Kshetrigao set for to see four-cornered contest

IMPHAL, April 25: The deck is cleared for a four cornered contest to 4 Kshetrigao Assembly seat with the returning officer S Binodini issuing a list of four validly nominated candidates. Laishram Somorjit of Chaoba faction of the Manipur State Congress Party, MSCP(C), was disqualified during the scrutiny today, leaving the four out of five nominated for candidature in the fray. The candidates are ex-minister and MLA of the Assembly constituency Mohd. Muhamuddin Shah, son of former MLA and Samata Party president, Basantakumar Wangkhem, Vivek Raj Wangkhem, Irengbam Sanatomba of Congress-I and Wahengbam Hemanta (Independent). Muhamuddin Shah filed nomination as both an RJD candidate and an Independent. Wahengbam Hemanta filed his nomination as both MSCP (Nipamacha group) and Independent candidate. However candidates can still withdraw their nomination till April 27 next. Irengbam Sanatomba of Congress-I filed his nomination paper on the last day of filing nomination yesterday, raising the number of nominees to five Vivek Raj Wangkhem of Samata Party and Wahengbam Hemanta of MSCP (Nipamacha group) filed their nominations on April 18 last. The Chaoba group candidate, Laishram Somorjit and Mohd. Muhamuddin Shah filed their nominations on April 20 last. The Chaoba group of the MSCP yesterday announced that the party is withdrawing its candidate from the election. However there was no official withdrawal of its candidate before the scrutiny held today. The Election Commission yesterday, ruled that both the factions of the MSCP will not be allowed to use the MSCP symbol of cultivator cutting crop, in view of the present dispute over party leadership. The byelection to the constituency was necessitated following the death of state Samata Party president and the party's lone MLA then, Basantakumar Wangkhem, earlier this year. The election is scheduled for May 11 next.