Imphal, February 02: The president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MPCC, O Ibobi Singh, has charged that his party�s candidates in Chandel and Tengnoupal Assembly constituencies were forced to withdraw their nomination papers under duress from the underground NSCN (IM).

Addressing mediapersons at the first of the meet the press programmes organized by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union, AMWJU, Ibobi said today at the Manipur Press Club that the two candidates, L Benjamin and Morung Makunga, were detained and forced to withdraw their nomination papers by cadres of the NSCN (IM).

Ibobi disclosed that a written complaint has been made in this connection to the Election Commission of India, ECI on January 31 last, asking for a repeat of the entire poll exercise in the two constituencies, allowing filing of fresh nomination papers.

He added that permission has been sough from the Congress high command to initiate appropriate legal action if no action is forthcoming from the ECI.

Ibobi said the two candidates were summoned to Dimapur by the underground outfit and forced to withdraw their candidature under duress.

The rights of a citizen to contest in elections have been forcibly taken away, he charged.

To a question, he attributed the coercive action of the underground outfit in forcing the withdrawal of the two candidates to a communal political vision.

Maintaining that the Congress had the trust of the people, Ibobi reiterated that it would gain an absolute majority and be able to form the government.

To a question, he said that the legislature leader of the party will be elected democratically after the results of the Assembly polls are declared.

Stating that there was an understanding among the party candidates to restrict election expenditure, he appealed to all parties to stop wasteful expenditure for the elections.

Ibobi said the law and order and financial problems faced by the state can be tackled only under a stable government, and appealed to the public for its cooperation to the Congress in forming a stable government.