Seven in the race for two BJP tickets
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 30 2013:
With seven persons vying for two BJP tickets for the Lok Sabha election, there is a strong possibility of rifts creeping up within the party in the process of lobbying for party tickets.
Till today which is the last day for formally applying for party tickets, four submitted their applications for the Inner Manipur P/C while three aspiring candidates applied for party ticket in Outer Manipur P/C.Those who have applied for BJP ticket in Inner Manipur P/C are Col (retd) Ch Joyraj, Lt Col (retd) RK Rajendra, Oinam Indira and Dr RK Ranjan.
Ch Joyraj was accompanied by his Sainik School teachers L Ajit and H Nobinchand when he came to submit his application.
Prof Gangmumei Kamei, D Loli Adani and Janglet Haokip have applied for party ticket in Outer Manipur P/C.Meanwhile, BJP State unit core committee held a meeting this evening and discussed about the party's poll strategy as well as the prospects of candidates who have applied for party tickets.
The core committee meeting which was presided by party president Th Chaoba went on for almost three years.
Incidentally, the core committee has 11 members.
The meeting also studied about the possibility of bringing a consensus among those who applied for BJP tickets in both Outer Manipur P/C and Inner Manipur P/C .
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Th Chaoba said that separate meetings have been held and opinions elicited from mandal and district presidents, office bearers, morchas and mahila presidents regarding which candidates would be recommended for party tickets.
The matter would be studied for the last time on January 5 in a meeting of the State election committee before the State unit sends its recommendation to the Central Parliamentary Board along with bio-data of the recommended candidates.
Who would be selected as BJP candidates would be decided by the Central Parliamentary Board and their names may be announced when the first list of candidates is released on or before January 15, Chaoba said.
On the other hand, submission of application forms for party tickets by some individuals who never showed their intention to contest elections till yesterday has thrown open a strong possibility of creating rifts and divisions within the party.
This may also give a negative impact to BJP supporters as well as other people who wish to see a change in Government.
Significantly, the BJP failed to send a single candidate to the 10th Assembly election last year.