INDIA bloc names Prof Bimol, Alfred as common candidates

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 22: After constituting INDIA Bloc Manipur, eight political parties active in Manipur have projected Prof Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kangam Arthur as their common candidates in Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency and Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency respectively.
Meanwhile, a Congress MLA said that the AICC has allotted Congress tickets to Prof Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kangam Arthur.
Even though the eight political parties have pledged their support to the two common candidates, CPI and JD (U) have not made any such assurance awaiting decisions of their Central leaders.
A meeting of Indian National Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), Aam Aadmi Party, Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc and All India Trinamool Congress was held today at Congress Bhavan at around 1 pm today.
The meeting agreed to rename the erstwhile ‘10 political parties’ as INDIA bloc Manipur in line with the India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) Bloc which exists at the National level.  
After threadbare deliberation, the meeting chaired  by former MP Dr Thokchom Meinya agreed to support JNU Delhi Associate Professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and former MLA (Ukhrul AC) Alfred Kangam Arthur as common candidates of the INDIA Bloc Manipur.
Briefing media persons after the meeting, former Chief Minister and CLP leader Okram Ibobi said that the INDIA Bloc Manipur was formed by like-minded political parties who believe in democracy and the Constitution of India.
The two Congress candidates who would be fielded in Inner Manipur PC and Outer Manipur PC as common candidates of INDIA Bloc with full support of the constituent parties would ensure BJP’s crushing defeat in Manipur, he said.
INDIA Bloc Manipur would take a major role in defeating NDA candidates and ushering a new chapter and a new India, said the CLP leader.
After deliberating repeatedly on the candidates projected by Congress, the constituent parties of INDIA Bloc Manipur agreed to field Prof Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kangam Arthur as common candidates.
CPI and JD(U) which were there in the ‘10 political parties’ but have not yet joined INDIA Bloc Manipur  would ponder again and extend support to the common candidates projected by the Congress, Ibobi exuded confidence.
He said that defeating BJP is the common goal of all these political parties.
CPI(M) Manipur Secretary and INDIA Bloc Manipur convenor Ksh Shanta said that the constituent parties of INDIA Bloc Manipur have adopted a decision to support Prof Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kangam Arthur who would be contesting the 18th Lok Sabha elections on Congress tickets so that they can defeat their rival BJP candidates.
With the intention to hang on to power, ruling BJP has been indulging in all kinds of unethical and arm-twisting tactics. It is a matter of grave concern that the BJP has been working to put many Opposition leaders behind bars on fabricated charges, Shanta said.
The despotic activities of BJP are known well to the people of India and Manipur. The two common candidates of INDIA Bloc Manipur would secure landslide victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Manipur, he said.
MPCC president K Meghachandra said that the support pledged by the constituent parties of INDIA Bloc Manipur to the two Congress candidates is an unmistakable indication of their victory in the two Lok Sabha seats.
He said that the incumbent double-engine BJP Government would be thrown out after the Lok Sabha elections.    
NCP Manipur State president Soram Iboyaima pointed out that the 18th Lok Sabha elections would be held in the midst of the protracted violent crisis which erupted on May 3, 2023 because of which thousands of people are still living in relief camps.
If the constituent parties of INDIA Bloc Manipur opt to stay away from the Lok Sabha elections on the ground that the elections are being held in the midst of the violent crisis, BJP and its allies would grab the two Lok Sabha seats of Manipur.
As such, INDIA Bloc Manipur, instead of watching silently, decided to field common candidates in order to defeat the NDA candidates, Iboyaima said.  
INDIA Bloc Manipur is fighting the election to address the plight of the people of Manipur, he said.
AAP Manipur State unit coordinator Bishwanath Thingnam appealed to all the people to support Prof Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kangam Arthur in order to bring peace and stability in Manipur.
He said that Prof Bimol Akoijam and Alfred Kangam Arthur are dedicated to the cause of Manipur and her people.
RSP Manipur State Secretary K Manoranjan, Forward Bloc Manipur State unit secretary Khomdram Gyaneshwar, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) Manipur State president Toijam Devananda and CWC Member and former Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam were also present at the press meet.