IMPHAL, Feb 15 ? With the Lok Sabha election round the corner, the political parties in this tiny State which have only three MP seats in the both houses of the parliament particularly the major partners of the Manipur Opposition Democratic People's Alliance (DPA) BJP, Manipur People's Party (MPP) and Federal Party of Manipur (FPM) are most planning to field their own candidates . Similarly the same story holds true for the two years old ruling Secular Progressive Front (SPF) coalition, whose two partners, the CPI and the Congress are also intent on fielding their own candidates. In short, differences have surfaced among partners of the opposition as well as the ruling front.
After sitting MP of the BJP, Th Chaoba announced that the BJP would field its own candidates in the two Parliamentary seats of Manipur, much to the chagrin of the other DPA partners, the MPP has been trying to project Dr Nimaichand Luwang as the consensus candidate and this was formally announced to the press on February 12.
The FPM, which is the biggest party in the DPA has also followed suit and is trying to project its president Dr L Chandramani as the consensus candidate of the DPA. Towards this end, a joint meeting of the Federal Party of Manipur central committee, office bearers, MLAs and frontal organisations was held under the chairmanship of Dr L Chandramani Saturday.
The members present at the meeting unanimously resolved to allow FPM's participation in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election and to request the leaders and members of DPA to project a consensus candidate in the election of inner and outer Manipur Parliamentary constituencies. The members besides resolving to project Dr L Chandramani as the consensus candidate in the Inner constituency also resolved to appeal to the DPA to fall in line and back the candidacy of Dr Chandramani.
Though the BJP has suddenly gone into a shell following the diktats issued by the KYKL against Th Chaoba, the party had earlier announced that it would field its own candidates in the two Parliamentary seats. On the other hand, a consensus candidate continues to elude the SPF with both the Congress and the CPI intent on fielding their own candidates, at least in the Inner constituencies.
For the Congress Higher and Technical Education Minister Dr T Meinya, Youth Congress president L Tilotama, Prof Mohendro and former Rajya Sabha MP W Angou are said to be the front runners for the party's ticket in the Inner constituency though of late the name of T Meinya is gaining precedence. A consensus candidate for the ruling coalition partners could not be worked out as the CPI conclave at Hyderabad recently decided to go it alone in the Lok Sabha election. Friendly fights is what the electorates will witness in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. MPP Vs FPM Vs BJP and Cong Vs CPI is the battle line.