Imphal, September 14: Political Parties� Forum, a joint body of seven Opp political parties, has decided to field Konthoujam Ranbir as its common candidate in the by-election to the Konthoujam Assembly Constituency which will go to polls on October 13.Ranbir will contest the election on an MPP ticket.

The meeting of the Forum held on September 12 agreed to field an MPP candidate as the common candidates.

Accordingly, the MPP Election Committee discussed and nominated Ranbir as the common candidate of the Forum during a meeting this morning.

A resident of Konthoujam Mamang Leikai, Ranbir is presently the joint secretary of MPP.

He took voluntary retirement from service as Selection Grade Lecturer in Philosophy Department of Oriental College in 1999 and joined politics.

For the first time he contested in the 2002 Assembly election on an MPP ticket.

He secured only 2899 votes to occupy the fifth position.

Announcing the name of Konthoujam Ranbir as the common candidate officially, Forum convenor Dr L Chandramani told media persons that removal of Disturbed Area Status and Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur would be the main issue on which the Forum would fight the by-election.

Chandramani, who is also the president of Federal Party of Manipur said that the date of holding the by-election had been fixed by the Congress led SPF Government in consultation with the Election Commission despite the poll boycott call given by the Apunba Lup and organizations agitating for withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur.

He said that the Forum has no power to stall the by-election, and the most it can do is to refrain from putting up its candidate.

However, he hastened to add that if the Forum does not field its candidate, there is the chance for the Congress party which is in power to win the election uncontested.

So the Forum is obliged to put up its common candidate so that the issue and demand of the people can be thoroughly discussed and highlighted during the election.

Former Chief Minister and MNC president Wahengbam Nipamacha who was also present at the occasion, said that the forthcoming by-election to Konthoujam Assembly Constituency would be testing ground for whether the Armed Forces Special Powers Act would be lifted according to the wishes of the people or not.

Nipamacha accused Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh of clinching to his post instead of taking up steps to fulfill the demand of the people.

State BJP unit president Th Chaoba attacked the Congress and the CPI, the two main partners of the ruling SPF Government for their alleged unwillingness to do away with AFSPA from Manipur.

It for the voters to decide whether they should go along with the parties with money and muscle powers or with those which understand the problem of the people, Chaoba said.

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