Imphal, December 13 2008: NOW IT is clear that MPP's candidate Hemam Bira and Congress candidate M Prithiviraj will have to fight straight in the by-election of Moirang assembly constituency. None of the two withdrew nomination file on the last day of the withdrawal of candidature today.

Meanwhile, election observer Ravindra Telang arrived at Imphal today to oversee the Moirang by election.

The Congress candidate, M Prithiviraj and opposition MPP's H Bira, both sons of former MLAs in the state Assembly will contest in the by-election to fill the seat lying vacant after the demise of Congress MLA Mairenbam Manindra in October last.

The polling of the by-election will be held on December 27.The counting of votes will be held on December 30 and all process of the by-election will have to be completed by January 1 next year.

Ravindra Telang, an IAS officer from Meghalaya who has been appointed as overall observer of the by-election in Manipur arrived at Imphal today.

He will head for Bishnupur to inspect the election process, according to official sources.

Earlier, another separate expenditure observer of the election was appointed by the ECI but he had been sent to other states where by-elections are to be held on the same day.

The election to the Moirang Assembly Constituency was announced after the death of the seating Congress MLA Marenbam Manindra in October this year.

Congress is fielding the late MLA's son Prithiviraj while the MPP is putting up Hemam Bira, who is also the son of former MLA Hemam Nilamani.

Interestingly, BJP and other smaller parties in the state have extended support to the MPP candidate and their leaders together with the MPP leaders are participating in the election rally of the MPP candidate Bira actively.

But, CPI and RJD, the partners of Congress led SPF government in the state have not declared their stand till now.

Both parties have neither extended support to the MPP nor the Congress.

With the support extended to MPP, BJP leaders in election rallies have boldly announced that NDA will come to power at the Centre after the general elections to the Lok Shabha and with the NDA coming to power, the SPF government in the state will be removed.

On the other hand, Congress is campaigning for stable government, peace and prosperity by maintaining its strength in the state Assembly.

A total of 32,059 voters including 15,161 male and 16,898 female would be exercising their franchise in the by-election at 41 polling stations to be installed across the constituency.

Comment