Manipur Congress announces two new faces for Lok Sabha polls

Accuses BJP of putting up insurgent-backed candidate

Our Correspondent
Imphal, March 24 (EMN): The Congress party in Manipur on Sunday announced the two new faces as its candidates selected to contest in the upcoming 17th Lok sabha polls from inner and outer Manipur parliamentary constituencies.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Gaikhangam and Congress Legislature Party leader and former Chief Minister O Ibobi handed over the official letter to the candidates prior to a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Imphal.

The candidates are Oinam Nabakishore, an ex state chief secretary and K James, a finance officer of government department turned entrepreneur.

Addressing the press conference, the CLP leader O Ibobi reaffirmed the statement of AICC president Rahul Gandhi during his March 20 visit to the state that special status category of Manipur and Northeast industrial policy will be revived apart from providing jobs for youths if the party comes to power after the Lok sabha polls.

MPCC president said ‘the party is broadly focusing on development and other key issues which are being faced by the people of Manipur.’

Both the party’s candidates were selected out of 16 intending candidates including the sitting MP Dr. Thokchom Meinya who applied for the party tickets to retain both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur.

Other sitting MP Thangso Baite who represents outer Manipur seat (ST reserved) in parliament did not apply for the party ticket this time.

The names of two Manipur Congress candidates were officially released along with 36 others across the country by the general secretary Mukul Wasnik of AICC on late Saturday night.

The candidates are expected to file their nomination papers on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Congress’ Manipur unit has accused the BJP of putting up an insurgent-backed candidate for a Lok Sabha seat here and compromising national integrity in a bid to win the upcoming elections at any cost, a charge rejected by the latter as an attempt to malign the party.

BJP’s candidate H Shukhopao Mate for the outer Manipur parliamentary constituency has been accused of being backed by insurgent groups in the state — Zomi Re-unification Organisation (ZRO) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), a PTI report stated The two outfits, which have signed “suspension of operation” agreement with Government of India (GOI) and are currently in peace talks, are reported to have written separate letters to BJP president Amit Shah, asking Mate be given the party’s ticket.

Mate is vice-president of the BJP Manipur unit and is in-charge of the party’s Scheduled Tribe Morcha.
“It is not just the Congress but everyone in the state is aware that he (Mate) is backed by insurgent groups. He has been chosen based on just winnability factor and to win at any cost by the BJP,” Congress Manipur spokesperson M Prithviraj told PTI.

He further accused the BJP of “compromising on the principle of national integrity” by succumbing to pressure from insurgent groups.

“The BJP giving the ticket to Mate shows that they don’t have any such principle and all that they want is to win at all costs, irrespective of the background of the candidate,” Prithviraj added.

The BJP, however, denied the allegations saying that media reports of Mate being backed by insurgent groups were an effort of “some vested interest” trying “to malign the image of the party intentionally”.

“As of now, whether insurgents supported who or whom is not an issue for us. Above that the party did not have any knowledge about issues which you wish to have views of,” BJP Manipur spokesperson Ch Chidananda Singh said when reached for comments on the Congress’ allegations.