10 NPF candidates receive tickets in Kohima
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal/Kohima, February 02 2022: Subsequent to announcement of 10 candidates for contesting the 12th Manipur Legislative Association at its nominees, the Naga People's Front (NPF) formally handed over the ticket at party's headquarters in Nagaland state capital Kohima on Wednesday.

The 10 intending candidates received their ticket during a grand ticket distribution ceremony held at the NPF central office in Kohima on Wednesday.

The NPF will contest in 10 Assembly constituencies which fall under the districts of Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel.

Those who received the party ticket include the four sitting Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly - Leishiyo Keishing for Phungyar AC, Khashim Vashum (Chingai), Losii Dikho (Mao) and Awangbow Newmai (Tamei).

The other intending can didates are Langhu Paulhring Anal for Chandel, Dangsawa Korungthang Maring (Tengnoupal), Ram Muivah (Ukhrul), Khoho Sule Antony (Karong), Francis Ngajokpa (Tadubi) and Khangthuanang Panmei (Tamenglong).

Interacting with the media after the ticket distribution event, NPF Manipur president and forest minister Awangbow Newmai said that people see NPF as an ally of BJP due to the good relationship between the two parties.

Howr ever, they are not forming any pre-poll alliance and possibility of post-poll alliance whether with BJP or Congress will depend on the outcome of the election, he said.

Awangbow, however, said that the proposal of forming pre-poll alliance was brought up in a meeting of NEDA held in Gjuwahati recently but later on it agreed to contest the election without forming any pre-poll alliance, he added.

All the 10 candidates fielded by the NPF have high potentials of winning the election due to their close relationship with the public, he said while expressing confidence of winning all the 10 seats.

Regarding the announcement of fewer number of candidates against the earlier statements, Awangbow Newmai said that there is still time to declare names of other candidates.

The party is assessing the ground situation of other intending candidates, who are seeking party ticket.

The assessment report will be submitted to the party's central committee for final decision, he said.

Earlier, Outer Manipur Lok Sabha MP and chairman of the Ticket Selection Committee Dr Lorho S Pfoze told the gathering that the selection of the 10 candidates out of over 40 applicants was a "very tough" exercise.

He said that ahead of finalizing the list, numerous consultations were held with the local community.

While it is a great task achieved, he said, the party, which is about a decade old in Manipur politics, is growing from strength to strength and that the number of people who sought the party ticket shows the impact the party has made over the years.

The parliamentarian said he NPF is more than just a political party in Manipur.

He said the party has become like a lifestyle as the principles of the party remain dear to the Nagas in Manipur.

As he wished the best to the intending candidates, he advised them to befriend their contenders and understand the sentiments of the local community.

On the other hand, NPF legislature party leader of Nagaland TR Zeliang said that stability and peace prevailed in Manipur due to the presence of four NPF MLAs in the government.

Neither BJP nor Congress can win absolute majority in the upcoming election and NPF will play major role in forming the next government, he claimed.

TR Zeliang also said that although it must have been a painful decision to deny tickets to some, it is at trying times such as this that shows the loyalty of the party workers.

For the ones who refused to work for the party and resigned after tickets were denied, he called them "opportunist" .

He acknowledged the candidates who continue to work for the party despite being deprived of the party ticket this time.

As the party prepares to contest in 10 constituencies, he hoped that the party will emerge victorious, confidently declaring that the party will be a deciding factor in the upcoming Manipur Assembly polls.

He also said the NPF in Nagaland will be coordinating with the political parties in the state to join in the election campaigns.

NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu said "This time we received more applications for tickets.

All the aspiring candidates are equally good but since we have only one ticket for each Assembly constituency, we could not accommodate many".

During the ticket distribution ceremony, he said it does not mean that those who were denied the tickets were not qualified.

"But to a great extent, the committee took various factors into consideration apart from the integrity, personality or capability of the individual candidates concerned," he said.

Liezietsu hoped that those who were denied the tickets would not misunderstand but rather'appreciate the processes that took place which were more or less circumstantial.

"I expect all of you to maintain the true spirit of this political party to the end," he added.

After announcement the list of NPF candidates on Monday, tension erupted in some' parts of Manipur as supporters of a candidate who was denied the party ticket staged a protest and burnt the party flag.

Senior leader W Morung Makunga of Tengnoupal constituency also tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party after his name did not feature in the list of 10 candidates.

Comment