Imphal: National People’s Party (NPP), Manipur unit, has made it clear on Thursday that the party will go alone in the upcoming elections to the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
“No pre-poll alliance. NPP will fight the elections alone”, said NPP Manipur unit vice-president Y Joykumar who is also the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led coalition government.
The deputy chief minister was speaking to the media on the sideline of a party function held today felicitating new faces to the party. However, the party will consider a post-poll alliance after the election results, he also said. “We are not against the post-poll alliance,” he added.
To queries from the reporters, the NPP vice president said that the party will field 35 to 40 candidates in the 60-seat Assembly.
“We are expecting to win at least 20 seats to become a single largest party. If not, still our party will take a major role in the formation of a new government in the state after the elections,” he said.
Also read: Conrad Sangma: NPP Rules out Pre-Poll Alliance in Manipur
Working president of NPP state unit, MLA L Jayentakumar who also attended the function said that NPP will “shine” in the elections. “If taken into account the increasing popularity of the party in the state, the party is hopeful of emerging as the single largest party in the state”, he said. He also said that not two or three but many intending candidates in a constituency are campaigning with the hope of contesting the election on a BJP ticket. “As only one will get the ticket in each constituency, those who do not get the ticket will still choose to contest the elections. As such, voters will be divided about which the advantage will be for the other political parties,” Jayenta opined. “As NPP is fast becoming popular with time, the party will surely secure many seats”, he added.
On the occasion, NPP state leaders felicitated many new faces including intending candidates. Among them was Karam Nabakumar Singh who is preparing to contest the election from Langthabal assembly constituency of Imphal West district on the NPP ticket.
The 60-seat Manipur Legislative Assembly will go to poll by the early part of next year, most probably in February and March.
NNN
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