Imphal, January 01: With the primary objective to fight the ensuing polls under a common agenda, several socialist parties have joined hands to formed a 'third front'.

A preliminary meeting to this effect was held today at the office of Samajwadi Party at Keishampat, sources in the party informed The Sangai Express.

After serious deliberations on the proposed third front, leaders of CPI(M) State Unit, JD (S) and SP decided to convene another round of meeting on January 12 for which other like minded parties such as JD (U), RSP, All India Forward Bloc, Lok Jana Shakti etc would also be invited.

The proposed third front may field its candidates in all the sixty Assembly constituencies, mentioned the sources.

With the CPI(M) already decided to field its candidates in Hiyanglam and Khundrakpam Assembly constituencies, the third front may field its candidates in the remaining 58 constituencies.

On the other hand, BJP Manipur Pradesh president Dr H Borbabu informed that the party would be able to finalise its list of candidates for dispatch to the BJP National Election Committee on January 14 for final recommendation.

BJP president Rajnath Singh and other National leaders would be visiting the State to join the election campaign in Manipur, said Borbabu.