Correspondent
IMPHAL, SEPTEMBER 20
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith the by-election to Hiyanglam Assembly Constituency barely less than a month away, many political parties have stepped up their election campaigns apart from making hectic consultations to finalize their respective candidates.
Manipur People’s Party (MPP) becomes the first political party which announces its candidate name so far. The party named Mayengbam Amutombi who lost in the last assembly poll,as their candidate while the other parties including the ruling congress is yet to make announcement.As for Bharatiya Janata Party which is in power at the Centre, three individuals have applied for the party ticket. But Maibam Dhanabir who is the son of former Hiyanglam MLA late Maibam Kunjo, is likely to get the party ticket,party sources said.
The other two individuals who could not get BJP tickets are Ashokumar Laiphrakpam who contested the last Assembly election on BJP and Dr Yumnam Radheshyam who contested the last poll on CPI ticket.
For the ruling Congress party, Elangbam Dwijamani who contested the last Assembly election unsuccessfully was the lone congress party ticket seeker for the forthcoming by-poll. So automatically Dwijamani will get the congress ticket, political observers felt.
On the other hand CPI has made it clear that they would not field any candidate in the by-election.Political observers are speculating a close fight between BJP and Congress candidates.
It may be noted that the by election to Hiyanglam AC was necessitated after its sitting MLA Maibam Kunjo representing Trinamool congress, in the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly was expired on August 11 this year. Hiyanglam has 24,214 electors including 12326 female electors across 34 polling stations.
Earlier the election authority plans to hold by-elections to Kanubari of Arunachal Pradesh, Northern Angami-II of Nagaland, Rajkot West of Gujarat and Kairana of Uttar Pradesh would be also held on October 15, along with Hiyanglam. However following Manipur authority’s intervention the by-poll of Hiyanglam has been rescheduled on October 17.
