IMPHAL, Jan 23 - The first list of BJP candidates for the upcoming Manipur Assembly elections was released at party�s headquarters in New Delhi today.
The first list of 31 candidates including 20 for the first phase of poll on March 4 and 11 for 2nd phase on March 8 were released through the party�s official website on Monday.
Six former Congress leaders including three former Ministers � Y Erabot (Wangkhei), N Biren (Heingang), Francis Ngajokpa (Tadubi), two former MLAs Dr Kh Loken (Sagolband), Z Kikhonbou Newmai (Tamei) besides former Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee functionary Dr S Ranjan (Konthoujam) were among those who got BJP tickets.
Former Union Sports Minister and former BJP State president Th Chaoba (Nambol), former CPI leader ex-MLA N Mangi (Kumbi) and former Manipur People�s Party leader ex-MLA O Joy (Langthabal), two popular names in the opposition bench, were also in the list.
Party sources in Imphal said that the second list will be announced within a shortest possible time as the names of the remaining constituencies were almost finalised.
Meanwhile two Congress MLAs Nemcha Kipgen (Kangpokpi) and parliamentary secretary in the present congress government Vungzagin Valte (Thanlon) resigned from congress and likely to join BJP soon.
Minutes after the first list of candidates was released, supporters of some aspiring candidates marched to the BJP State unit office in Imphal and demanded justice into distribution of party tickets.