Imphal, September 16: Jumping into the fray for the upcoming Konthoujam by election scheduled to be held on October 13, the MSCP has decided to nominate Angom Manihar as its candidate.

On the other hand, even though the CEO has issued the by election notification yesterday till today no nomination paper has been submitted.

Proclaiming Manihar as the candidate of the MSCP at the State Guest House today, party president M Hemanta said that the decision to field Manihar was taken during a meeting of the party's executive committee today.

The two MSCP MLAs were also present.

Manihar had earlier sought the Congress ticket for the by poll but resigned from the primary membership of the MPCC (I) and joined the MSCP.

The MSCP candidate was with the Congress for 35 years and had twice won the Nambol Municipal Council election as the Congress candidate.

Hemanta said that the MSCP decided to field its candidate to engage in a friendly contest with the Congress nominee in the by poll.

The MSCP president further said that his party was not consulted when the decision to field a Congress nominee as the consensus candidate of the SPF was taken.

This has exposed a glaring loophole in the SPF, he charged.

Manihar, who was also present, told the media that he withdrew from the Congress not because he was apprehensive of not getting the party's ticket.

He said he decided to snap ties with the Congress as his workers and well wishers made it clear that they would not support a Congress candidate in the face of the stringent movement against the AFSPA.

Revocation of AFSPA and ensuring the development of Konthoujam AC will be his main election plank, said Manihar.

Setting the record straight, MSCP spokesman Kh Devabrata said that though his party is a partner of the SPF, there is no bar in fielding a candidate of the MSCP.

On the boycott call of the by election given by the Apunba Lup, Devabrata said there is no difference between the Lup and the MSCP maintaining that both are for the complete revocation of AFSPA from Manipur.

Declaring that the MSCP has kick started its election campaign, Devabrata said that the election committee of the party has started doing the spade work.

MLA Y Erabot is the chairman of the committee, said Devabrata adding that the working president of the party Y Mingthing will be the co-chairman.

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