ADC polls : Triangular battles expected
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 26 2015 : With most of the political parties already kick-starting their campaigns for the upcoming ADC election, the same election is likely to see close triangular contest among Congress, BJP and NPF.

Voting for the 144 seats of the six ADCs of Manipur would be held on June 1 and the election notification will be issued on April 30 .

According to information received from Congress Bhavan, 215 prospective candidates have submitted their nomination forms to contest the ADC election on Congress tickets.

First round of screening of the filled-in forms has been completed and candidates who have been found to be lone Congress applicants against each ADC seat have been selected.

Due preparations are being made to announce the party's final list of candidates soon after the election notification is issued.

Even if Congress appears to be a little bit vulnerable in Senapati district, Congress candidates would be run away winners in all other districts and it is a foregone conclusion that Congress would retain power in all the ADCs, said one Congress leader.

NPF too has already put into motion its campaign for the ADC election and the party's election committee has scheduled a meeting at Senapati district headquarters tomorrow.

Screening of nomination forms submitted by prospective candidates is underway, said one NPF spokesman adding that the party is planning to field candidates in around 100 seats out of the total 144 seats.

NPF candidates would be lesser in Churachandpur and Sadar Hills but there would be no rivals worth the name in Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong.

Other than NPF, no other party would be able to form the ADCs, claimed the spokesman.

Congress party which is in power in the State has been engaging in all kinds of anti-Naga activities for a prolonged period, he said and boldly predicted that Congress party's performance in Naga dominated areas would be disappointing.

Results of the upcoming ADC election would have its impacts in the next State Assembly election likely to be held in 2017, he added.

Meanwhile, BJP Manipur Pradesh held a meeting together with former presidents, general secretaries and tribal leaders at their Nityaipat Chuthek office today and discussed about the upcoming ADC election.

At the end of the meeting, district election management committee comprising of seven to nine members were constituted and they have started screening application forms submitted by intending candidates.

Moreover, a State election management committee headed by president Th Chaoba has also been constituted.

Three former presidents, Prof Gangmumei Kamei and C Doungel are members of the committee.

Retired IAS P Saratchandra is the committee's convenor.

BJP Manipur Pradesh has been intimated that Union Ministers and Christian leaders of the party would come to the State to campaign for BJP candidates in the run up to the ADC election, informed a source.

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