BJP appoints Manipur education minister for Lok Sabha elections, drops Union minister

Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh is now the MLA of Nambol Parliamentary Constituency

Imphal:

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday nominated Manipur Education Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh from the inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, abandoning sitting MP and Union Minister Rajku Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

The contestant, 59, is the son of former federal minister Thounaojam Chaoba Singh.

The former IPS officer is now the MLA from Nambol assembly constituency in Bishnupur district.

Two days ago, Chief Minister N Biren Singh claimed that the BJP would win with a huge margin in the state.

Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh is contesting from Congress candidate Angomcha Bimol Akoijam on the Nemanipur seat.

The saffron party has decided not to contest from the Lok Sabha constituencies in Outer Manipur and has nominated its ally Naga People’s Front nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, a retired officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). provide support.

Parts of the Inner Manipur constituencies and Outer Manipur constituencies will go to the first phase of voting on April 19, while the remaining parts of the Outer Manipur constituencies will go to the second phase of voting on April 26.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on March 16, the day the Lok Sabha poll schedule was announced, that those living in refugee camps in violence-hit Manipur state would be allowed to Provisional settlement vote.

Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki tribes in the northeastern state have killed more than 200 people since May last year.

According to officials, security forces have rescued more than 25,000 people after the unrest, and about 50,000 people are living in camps.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)