The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced candidates for all 60 Assembly seats in the upcoming Manipur Assembly election, fielding Chief Minister N Biren Singh to contest from his traditional Heingang constituency.
Announcing the list, Union minister and state election in-charge Bhupender Yadav said that the BJP will contest on all 60 seats, ruling out the possibility of forging a pre-poll alliance.
Yadav also exuded confidence that the BJP, which is already in power in Manipur, will again form a government in the state with a more than two-third majority on its own.
The BJP has nominated state’s PWD minister Thangom Biswajit Singh from Thongju while the party also gave tickets to Martial Arts player Yumnam Khemchand Singh and former footballers Letpao Haokip and Somatai Shaiza.
Three retired IAS officers Raghumani Singh, Yengkhom Surchandra Singh and Dinganglung Gangmei (Dipu) have been fielded from Uripok, Kakching and Nungba, respectively
BJP’s candidate list also includes names of three women – Nemcha Kipgen from Kangpokpi, Soraisam Kebi Devi from Naoriya Pakhanglakpa constituency and SS Olish from Chandel (ST) reserved constituency.
Assembly elections in the northeastern state will be held in two phases on February 27 and March 3. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP had formed a government in the state even as it won just 21 seats compared to Congress’ 28 by joining hands with two local parties – National People’s Party (NPP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF).
Later, BJP’s own tally rose up to 30 after some MLAs switched over from Congress and other parties.
