Imphal, September 08: Political Parties Forum of the Opposition is very likely to put forward a candidate from the MPP as its common candidate in the upcoming by election for the Konthoujam AC which has been scheduled on October 13.Mention may be made here that a preliminary meeting of all the seven parties constituting the Forum was held very recently to discuss the possibility Qf fielding a common candidate for the Opposition bloc in the forth Coming by election.

According to the Forum's convenor Dr Chandramani, a definite decision on a common candidate will be taken during the Forum's meeting which is likely to be held in one/two days.

Informing that MPP president O Joy has appealed to the Forum to project an MPP candidate as the common candidate of the Opposition in the upcoming by election, Dr Chandramani disclosed that MPP has also put forward one Konthoujam Ranbir of Konthoujam Lairembi Lampak to be its consensus candidate for the upcoming polls.

K Ranbir had unsuccessfully contested the 8th State Legislative Assembly election as an MPP candidate.

He is a former lecturer of Oriental College.

Dr Chandramani who is also the president of Federal Party of Manipur (FPM) said that his party (Federal party) have not taken any definite decision with regard to fielding a candidate in the upcoming polls.

He however added that it would be improper for FPM if it tries to send its own contestant in the upcoming polls as the Opposition parties excluding BJP had projected the FPM candidate as the common candidate in the 14th Lok Sabha election which was held in April this year.

Chandramani was the candidate then.

Dr Chandramani further said that discussion for projecting the MPP's candidate as the Forum's consensus candidate is likely to be taken up by the members as the functioning of the Forum is based on unity among its partners.

BJP, another important partner of the Forum, is also likely to put forward its candidate in the upcoming polls as the party has very high hopes of winning the vacant seat since it narrowly lost to the eventual winner Dr Meinya in the last general elections.

Meanwhile, the State BJP unit president and some of its leaders have also rushed to New Delhi to hold talks with the party's high command regarding the party's stand on the upcoming bye elections.

If the BJP leaders at New Delhi give the green signal for contesting in the upcoming polls, tension is likely to rise among the BJP and the partners of the Forum.

The outcome will most probably result in BJP disengaging from the Forum and contesting the elections alone just like as it had done in the 14th Lok Sabha elections.

Even though the Congress and CPI the two major partners in the SPF Govt have not taken up any steps to project a common candidate, it is reported that four Congressmen have already taken the nomination papers in connection with the upcoming by-elections.

The four Congressmen have been identified as Sapam Budhi, Samom Nabakumar, Soraisam Ibobi and Angom Manihar.

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