Manipur polls: NPF to contest in 10 seats; Shiv Sena names 6 candidates

The regional Naga People's Front (NPF) which won four seats in the Manipur assembly elections in 2017 said it would contest in 10 constituencies this time.

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The regional Naga People's Front (NPF) which won four seats in the Manipur assembly elections in 2017 on Monday said it would contest in 10 constituencies this time.

The Shiv Sena also released its first list of six candidates for the election to the 60-member assembly.

In a statement, the NPF said its nominees will fight in 10 constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Tribe category.

Manipur has 20 ST constituencies and all are located in the hills. Majority of the Naga population in the state also live in hill areas.

The NPF, which had ruled the neighbouring Nagaland for several years, renominated the four MLAs who won in the last elections.

They included D Korungthang who had won the 2017 polls on a Congress ticket but joined the NPF in early January this year.

Former minister Francis Ngajokpa and ex-MLA K Pammei would be contesting from Tadubi and Tamenglong constituencies.

Retired IAS officer Ram Muivah is another contestant of the NPF, the statement said.

It said, "There is a necessity for regional political parties to come together in order to effectively address the issues confronting our people."

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena will be contesting the Manipur assembly elections for the first time and most of its candidates named in the first list are greenhorns.

The Shiv Sena's state president M Tombi Singh told PTI that the will announce its other candidates very soon.

Assembly polls will be held in the state in two phases on February 27 and March 3.