Imphal: National People’s Party (NPP), a partner of the BJP in the coalition government in Manipur, on Monday released its first list of candidates for ensuing elections to the state Assembly. In the first list, names of 20 candidates have been declared as NPP official nominees for the upcoming Manipur assembly poll scheduled for February 27 and March 3.
Among others, the list included three of the four sitting legislators of the party in the state, including deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh.
The NPP party that secured four seats in the last Manipur assembly election (2017) had lost one of its legislators ahead of the announcement of the list of the candidates.
As per the list, deputy chief minister Y Joykumar who is also national vice-president of the party will contest from Uripok Assembly constituency of Imphal West district for re-election. The former director general of police (DGP) of Manipur was elected from the same constituency in the 2017 election. The other two sitting legislators, L Jayantakumar and N Kayisii, will also contest from Keishamthong constituency in Imphal West and Tadubi constituency of Senapati district.
Also read: Cabinet minister and NPP leader Letpao Haokip joins BJP
The party will field Lunkhopao (Apao) Haokip from Chandel constituency where its legislator and Sports Letpao Haokip was elected in 2017 election. Letpao had already switched his political affiliation to BJP recently. He is likely to contest from Tengnoupal constituency leaving his earlier constituency.
The NPP released the list of the 20 candidates at a function held at the hall of the MAYOL Foundation at Iroisemba in Imphal West district.
Meanwhile, while releasing the list of candidates, NPP national vice president, Y Joykumar said that the first list of the candidates was released with the approval of the party’s national president and chairman of the Central Election Committee of the party. He also said that the party is planning to declare the second list of candidates on or before January 31. “This is the first list. We have a second list and we may have a third list, too,” he further said. The national vice president of NPP also said that no criminal case is pending with any of the candidates in the list released today. He claimed that those candidates in the list were selected after a thorough ground assessment and prospective of winning the elections.
On the occasion, Joykumar reiterated that there would be no pre-poll alliance for the NPP. “We will not make an alliance with any other party. We will go alone to fight the ensuing election, he declared.
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