Cong 'finalises' candidates for NE States
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 14 2019: Congress party has reportedly finalised a list of candidates who would contest the Lok Sabha election in the North East States yet both BJP and Congress are still unable to officially announce the names of their respective candidates who would contest the election in Outer Manipur PC and Inner Manipur PC.

Sources informed that BJP Parliamentary Committee will hold another meeting at Delhi tomorrow for another round of discussion on potential candidates who would fight the election in the North East region.

Both Chief Minister N Biren and Rajya Sabha MP K Bhabananda will attend the meeting.

BJP is most likely to announce the name of its candidate in Outer Manipur PC first before their candidate in Inner Manipur PC is named, said the sources.

Due election notification for the Outer Manipur PC and Inner Manipur PC would be issued on March 18 and 19 while the last dates for submission of nomination papers have been fixed on March 25 and 26 respectively.

It has not been announced yet which political parties among the coalition partners of the BJP-led Government would support the BJP candidates and which parties would opt for friendly contest.

On the other hand, a meeting of AICC Ticket Screening Committee was held at Delhi yesterday and it finalised a list of candidates who would contest the election in the North East States including Manipur.

CLP leader O Ibobi and MPCC president Gaikhangam attended the crucial meeting.

Congress party may officially announce the names of its candidates in all the North East States before March 20, the sources said.

Although it has been already announced that CPI would field former Minister and former State Secretary Dr Moirangthem Nara in Inner Manipur PC, the party is unlikely to contest the 17th Lok Sabha election in Outer Manipur PC.

Nonetheless, CPI may decide to support a candidate in Outer Manipur PC whom they think is most competent and would best serve the interest of the people.

Even though it has been reported that two of BJP's coalition partners namely NPF and NPP would field their own candidates, no official announcements have been made till date.

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