Imphal, January 19: For the ensuing State Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) have announced their respective nominees today.

The SP declared 15 candidates in the first phase list issued today in addition to releasing election manifesto of the party by its president Sapam Dhananjay.

Speaking to reporters today, Dhananjay said out of 15 candidates announced, 10 are from valley constituencies and the rest from the hill ACs.

The SP candidates are L Raghumani in Wangkhem, Md Asharaf Haji in Khangabok, S Geetchandra in Wangjing-Tentha, Md Abdullah in Kshetrigao, Ph Chandra in Andro, Sapam Dhananjay in Thongju, A Tondon in Patsoi, A Angouba for Oinam, L Biren in Bishnupur and Kh Rajen in Kumbi.

Laltanpui in Thanlon, Tinkhomei Haokip in Henglep, Pumzadou in Churachandpur, Thangliankhup in Singhat and Yanglet Haokip in Tengnoupal also appended their candidatures.

Opining that no party is expected to get majority in the ensuing elections, Dhananjay declared Samajwadi Party is open to post-poll alliance with political parties other than Congress and BJP.

He further exuded that the party would be able to score major victory in the Assembly elections.

Taking part in the press meet, North East in-charge of Samajwadi Party Mahavir Singh castigated failure of the SPF Govt led by the Congress to bring about any concrete development during its five year tenure in the State.

alleging failure of the SPF Govt to problems besetting the State, he remarked that it was a matter of shame for the SPF Government when compared to performance of Uttar Pradesh under Samajwadi Party rule.

Maintaining that problem of insurgency could be resolved only through political means, he observed that it would be big blunder to resort to military means without ascertaining the nature of insurgency movement in Manipur.

He further claimed that Samajwadi Party stood and will stand for the territorial integrity of the State and repeal of AFSPA 1958.Sapam Dhananjay disclosed that the symbol of the party would be most probably aeroplane.

The Election Commission has also hinted to this effect.

The main points of the party's manifesto are repeal of AFSPA 1958, implementation of Inner Line Permit System, promotion of tourism, opposition to Tipaimukh Project, resolving the issue of insurgency through political dialogue, upgradation of Sadar Hills and Jiribam to revenue districts, improvisation of communication networks, development of industries, rectification of education system, improvisation of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services as well as Health Services.

Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party has announced 24 candidates for the upcoming elections.

The names of the candidates were announced by Lok Janshakti MP Ramchandra Paswan and North East in-charge Mira Chakravarty who arrived at Imphal today afternoon.

Out of 19 Assembly segments of Thoubal, Senapati and Ukhrul which would go to polls in the first phase on February 8, the party would field 11 candidates.

In the second phase, it would field 6 candidates followed by 3 for the final phase.

In connection with the phase wise elections, Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan would be coming to the State on February 6 and again on February 19.The two leaders disclosed that the party would not go with BJP even though the party is open to alliance with other parties.

Saying that the they support the prolonged struggle of Irom Sharmila, they noted that the draconian AFSPA 1958 should be repealed from the State.

Taking part in the press meet, the State unit president of the party Thangkhan Gin Ngaihte said that its two candidates fielded in Ukhrul and Tadubi constituencies is an experiment.