Imphal, February 28 2009: At 4 pm today, the final hour for submission of application forms for Congress candidature in the two Parliamentary seats of Manipur, 13 prospective candidates have submitted their forms while four application forms have been rejected under the party's rule as against the total of 19 forms taken from MPCC.

On the other hand, two individuals have submitted their application forms for NCP candidature in the Ou-ter Parliamentary seat.

The party's candidate may be formally announced after a meeting of NCP State election committee likely to be held on March 2. For Congress party, five individuals submitted their applications forms to contest in the Inner Parliamentary as INC candidate.

These prospective candidates include Lok Sabha MP Dr T Meinya, former Speaker Dr Maniruddin Sheikh, MPCC vice-president Abdul Salam, media cell chairam Seram Mangi and Singjamei A/C MLA I Hemochandra.

For Congress candidature in Outer Parliamentary seat, eight individuals submitted their forms.

They are former Ministers RK The-kho, Francis Ngajokpa, Jangamlung Panmei, party's vice-president Dr Chalton-lien Amo, Chungkhokai Doungel, Ngamkholun Kip-gen, Khanthang Tonsing and Thangso Baite.

While two individuals did not submit their forms, application forms of four other applicants (one for Outer and three for Inner) were rejected.

Their application forms were rejected as their membership of INC were found not renewed.

For the MPCC election committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow, AICC North East in-charge and CWC member Lunzinho Falerio and AICC secretary Maj Ved Prakash will be arriving at Imphal tomorrow to attend the meeting as AICC observers.

The two prospective candidates of NCP in the Outer Parliamentary seat who have submitted their application forms are LB Sona of Churachandpur and Len Gangte.

LB Sona was not only a Chairman of the Chura-chandpur District Council but also general secretary of MPCC when Radhabi-nod Koijam was its president.

The last date of submission of application forms for NCP is March 2.The party's candidate for the Outer Parliamentary constituency may be announced in the evening of March 2 after holding a meeting of the NCP State election committee at 6 pm of the same day.

For the Inner Parliamentary seat, the NCP has already decided not to field its own candidate but support the MPP candidate.

In response, the MPP has agreed to support the NCP candidate in the Outer Parliamentary seat.

The MPP is planning to put up Prof N Mohendro as its candidate in the Inner Parliamentary seat.

For the same seat, CPI is fielding former Minister Dr M Nara while BJP would be putting former Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha.

For the Outer Parliamentary seat, the two parties are unlikely to field their candidates.

Although the BJP State unit held a meeting with the party's North East zonal secretary Chandra-sekhar Rao yesterday, the unit could not take definite decision whether the party would put up its candidates in the Outer Parliamentary seat or which party it will support in case BJP does not field its own candidate.

The party's zonal secretary asked the State party leaders to come up with a final decision on the matter ahead of the BJP National election committee meeting scheduled for March 5 at New Delhi.

The BJP State unit is also organising an election management training camp on March 7 at Imphal.

The camp will be atten-ded by the party's North East in-charge Harendra Pratap.

Comment