Imphal, November 21 2009: The Communist Party of India, partner in the ruling Congress led SPF Government, has decided not to contest in the by-election to the Yaiskul Assembly Constituency, while the State BJP Unit is set to take a definite decision on whether it should contest or not and if not, whether it should support MPP or not during a meeting of the Yaiskul BJP Mandal tomorrow.

According to information received by the press, though CPI has decided not to field its candidate in the by-election, the party has not yet decided to which candidate it would support.

On the other hand, Opposition partner NCP is also not likely to contest in the election.

Nor has it decided on which party would be supported.

Political analysts expected that by-election would be either a straight or triangular fight.

Meanwhile, State BJP unit is set to arrive at a final definite on whether it should contest or not in the by-election and if not, whether it would support the MPP in the meeting of the Yaiskul BJP Mandal due to be held tomorrow morning at the residence of RK Dorendra, who is not only an important leader of the party but also a former Chief Minister of the State.

In case the party decides to field its candidate, it would be either Dorendra or his son Suraj, according to pollical analysts.

Not happy with the schedule of the by-election which taken many political parties by surprise, State BJP unit president Dr H Borbabu has alleged it may be the political strategy of Chief Minister O Ibobi to divert the attention of the people from the ongoing agitation over the July 23 Khwairamband Bazar incident and the existing discontentment within Congress party.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Dr Borbabu said that the byelection schedule may have been announced after Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh finalises the date and forwarded the same to the Election Commission of India with the main intention of suppressing ongoing public agitation over the Khwairamband Bazar incident and dissension within the Congress party.

So the public should remain alert to the political strategies of Ibobi.

Reiterating that the by-election is going to a litmus test for Chief Minister Ibobi and the Congress party, Dr Borbabu observed that if this is not going to a litmus test then the over four-month long public agitation would go down the drain.

Who is then going to take the responsibility for deprivation of education to the students ?, he questioned.

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