IMPHAL, Oct 17 - The Congress today announced the names of candidates for the forthcoming by-elections to four out of five Legislative Assembly Constituencies of Manipur.
AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik issued a press release in this regard through a Twitter account. The candidates nominated are Salam Joy for Wangoi, Md Azziul Haque Khan for Lilong, Moirangthem Hemanta Singh for Wangjing-Tentha and Lamtinthanf Haokip for Saitu (ST) Assembly seats.
The by-elections to five seats � Wangoi, Wangjing-Tentha, Lilong, Saitu and Singhat � were necessitated after the sitting MLAs resigned from the Manipur Legislative Assembly in August this year.
Currently, 13 Assembly seats lie vacant in the 60-member Manipur House following the resignation of nine MLAs and disqualification of four other legislators.
On October 11, the BJP announced the names of four candidates for the ensuing by-elections. They are Oinam Lukhoi Singh for Wangoi, Paonam Brojen for Wangjing-Tentha, Ngamthang Haokip for Saitu (ST) and Ginsuanhau Zou for Singhat (ST).
However, the major coalition partners in the BJP-led Government in Manipur, including the National People�s Party and the Naga People�s Front, are yet to announce names of their candidates for the bypolls.
Earlier this month, the Election Commission of India announced the schedule of the by-elections to the five Manipur constituencies. The polling is scheduled on November 7. The last date for filing nominations is October 20 and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is October 23.
The dates for counting of votes and completion of the election process are November 10 and 12 respectively.
