Manipur’s power minister Phungzathang Tonsing’s reaction along with his photograph was even published in the local media saying that he was listed in the probable candidate list. But all of a sudden, AICC named Thangso Baite as it’s candidate for the outer seat.

Political observers here feel that the main rival for the ruling Congress party, this time, will be Manipur People’s Party-NCP combined candidate N Muhindro in the inner and People’s Democratic Party’s Mani Charenamei, the sitting MP in outer parliamentary constituency. However another section of observers said that the Congress candidate would have a neck to neck fight with CPI’s Dr Moirangthem Nara for the inner seat even as the BJP projects former Chief Minister Wahengbam Nipamacha as it’s candidate for inner seat.

There is a prediction of a triangular fight in the ensuing ballot battle in the outer parliamentary constituency which comprises all the five hill districts and 8 more assembly constituencies in the valley.

The candidates are PDA’s Zealiarong Naga Mani Charenamei, BJP’s prominent Poumai Naga leader D. Loli Adanee who had contested in the same party ticket in the last Lok Sabha Polls and L. B Sona, the common candidate of MPP-NCP and a well known Zomi peace maker in Manipur.

“The worsening law and order situation and a desire to do something for the return of peace has prompted me to join the fray for the upcoming MP elections,” said L. B Sona who was also supported by National People’s Party, Manipur State Congress Party, CPI(M), Revolutionary Socialist Party and Forward Block.

During the Naga-Kuki ethnic clash in 1993, Sona acted as the general secretary of the All Manipur Tribal Goodwill Mission and was responsible for restoring peace among the warring groups.

D. Loli Adanee who lost to Mani Charenamei in the last Lok Sabha elections is looking forward to woo the voters by initiating emotional integration among the different communities through developmental activities in the state. “It’s all hypocrisy unless we have emotional integration first,” Adanee told this correspondent.

On the other hand setting the record straight on the allegations of speaking against Manipur though an elected MP of Manipur, Mani Charenamei contended that fear and apprehension over speaking out openly among the different communities sometime leads to the suppression of the rights of the weaker section. He said, being an MP, he has consistently worked for upgrading the position of the less fortune classes of the society.

Meanwhile Independent Legislatures Forum’s leaders Morung Makunga and Wungnaoshang Keishing have formally announced that they would extend support to PDA candidate and sitting MP Mani Charenamei in the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls. There are 6 independent legislatures in the house of 60 in Manipur.

However Concerned Citizens for Development of Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, a social organisation has come out with serious charges against the MP threatening to rope in the service of the CBI to investigate the alleged failure of the MP to bring out a white paper on the utilisation of his Local Area Development Fund (LADF).

Athon Abonmai, spokesperson of the organisation had also warned that all the materials related to the utilisation or rather the failure of utilising a sum of MP’s LADF amounting to Rs 10 crores sanctioned in his five year term have been collected and the same would be handed over to the CBI for investigation.

Langol Iboyaima, CPI secretary who is confident of emerging as a winner this time around, in a brief chat, reaffirmed that CPI would be focused on the issue of territorial integrity of Manipur and the removal of AFSPA in the forthcoming elections. Former arts and culture minister Dr Moirangthem Nara would be the common candidate for Left and five democratic parties coordination for inner parliamentary constituency.

“Congress will not compromise with any organisations regarding bocotting the party candidates”

-Ibobi

On the day that the Congress party announced it’s candidates, party workers had urged the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi to take up measures to protect their lives stating that electioneering of the party has been greatly affected by the persisting threats to the Congress in the last few days. Proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council) had once warned of an attack on the Congress offices and it’s workers for allegedly engineering fake encounters in Manipur.

The Chief Minister, in his reply, said that they should not lose their will and work even though some organisations may boycott the party candidates. “Congress will not compromise with any organisations regarding boycotting the party candidates,” Ibobi said and expressed confidence of forming the government at the Centre.

Leaders of the national parties are likely to air dash to Imphal for their respective party candidates’ election campaign to woo the electorate which is seemingly reluctant to vote this time around. Sources of the parties said that the AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Navjot Singh Sidhu and CPI leader A B Bardhan would campaign for their respective candidates.

With regard to security, a total of 1320 polling personnel including 20 percent reserved polling personnel will be used in the two phase polls in Manipur. Of the total number of 2193 polling stations for the two Parliamentary constituencies, 553 have been identified as hyper sensitive, 1306 as sensitive while 334 have been categorised as normal.

Manipur has been demanding 85 companies of additional forces in addition to 53 companies of armed personnel (State police personnel) available in the state.