BJP releases names of all 60 candidates for Manipur polls

New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) The BJP on Sunday released its candidates for all 60 seats for the Manipur assembly polls. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh will contest from Heingang assembly constituency.

The BJP has given tickets to three women candidates -- Nemcha Kipgen from Kangpokpi, S.S. Olish from Chandel and Soraisam Kebi Devi from Naoriyapakhanglakpa.

The BJP has also fielded three former IAS officers -- Dinganglung Gangmei (Dipu) from Nungba, Yengkhom Surchandra Singh from Kakching and Raghumani Singh from Uripok.

Names of BJP candidates for Manipur were released by union minister and state election in-charge Bhupender Yadav with state in-charge Dr Sambit Patra here.

Yadav said that the BJP Central Election Committee has approved names of party candidates for Manipur and BJP will contest on all the 60 seats and will form the government with two third majority.

"Mostly those who have long association and worked for a long time with the party in Manipur have been given tickets. Only two sitting MLAs have been replaced with new faces," Yadav said.

The Manipur assembly polls will be held in two phases. In first phase polling will be held on February 27 in 38 assembly seats and in second phase polling will be held on March 3 in 22 assembly constituencies.

In the 2017 Assembly election, the BJP had won 21 seats but it formed the government with the help of smaller parties and independent MLAs.

The Congress had then emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats but failed to form the government.