Armed group asks Manipur candidate to withdraw

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North East India Development Party (NEIDP) candidate Ashang Kasar on Monday said that he was asked by an armed group to withdraw his candidature from the reserved Outer Manipur seat.

Kasar is the first politician in Manipur to receive such a threat.

However, the NEIDP and Kasar said that there is no question of yielding to the pressure of the group. They did not name the group.

Kasar said: "The group had asked me not to contest in the ticket of the NEIDP since it is a Meitei centric political party. However, I will contest the elections under this party's banner."

He said the NEIDP is one party that will bridge the gap between the hills and the valley people.

The group seems to have taken the step based on wrong information, he added.

N. Samarjit, President of the NEIDP said: "Our party holds the group in high esteem. It was quite unexpected that such an interference shall come. However, there is no question of backing out now."

Meanwhile, several candidates filed their nomination papers on Monday. The state goes to the polls on April 11 and 18 to elect two Lok Sabha MPs.

--IANS

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