NCP factor stirs alliance set-up
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 15 2014 :
Even though official poll notification for Outer Manipur Parliamen-tary Constituency has been an- nounced today, consensus con-tinues to elude on whether Lien Gangte of Janata Dal - United (JD-U) or C Doungel of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) would be the common candidate of the nine political party Left and secular Alliance in the said constituency.
It is said that JD (U) has been lobbying with the alliance partners to field Lien Gangte as the common candidate of the political conglo- merate to contest the Outer seat in reciprocation of JD-U supporting CPI leader Dr M Nara, whom the alliance had already announced would be the common candidate from the Inner MP Constituency.
An informed source confided that the NCP has for- mally intimated CPI leaders to back nomination of C Doungel as the common candidate of the alliance in the Outer seat.
Inspite of being not an alliance partner, NCP, it may be noted, would be supporting Dr Nara.
In view of existing uncertainty on the choice of com- mon candidate for the Outer seat core committee members of Left and Secular Left and Secular Alliance today discussed the issue at Irawat Bhawan but without any consensus on the matter.
Revealing about mixed reactions on the JD-U nominee Lien Gangte, a source at Irawat Bhawan said certain members within the core committee commented positively on fielding C Doungel as the common candidate in the Outer constituency with the condition that NCP should also be an alliance partner.
Taking into account reactions/comments from the members the meeting eventually resolved to formally approach NCP leaders and assess their position on becoming a partner of the alliance before a final decision is taken on whom to field as the common candidate.
While Lien Gangte's choice as the common candidate is a certainty if the NCP declines to embrace the political alliance acceptance by the latter is likely to tip the scale in Doungel's favour, observed the source declining to elaborate on the backing the former Minister commands within the alliance.