GUWAHATI: Naga People’s Front plans to contest 15 assembly seats in Manipur polls in March. The party, which made its electoral debut in Manipur in 2012 polls, has decided to go it alone in the state despite ruling Nagaland in alliance with BJP.
NPF is also part of the Northeast Democratic Alliance, a grouping of non-Congress parties floated by the BJP.
The party, which has a support base in the Naga dominated areas of Manipur, is confident that its seat tally will improve and it will play crucial role in the next government formation in Manipur. Manipur NPF won four out of 12 seats it contested in 2012.
“We have received applications from 15 different constituencies. We will contest in those constituencies,” NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu told ET. “After the urban local bodies poll of the Nagaland on February 1, the party will finalise the candidates. We are confident that our tally in state assembly will definitely increase.”
Congress is expecting to gain some seats in the hill areas after creation of seven new districts. The creation of new districts by ruling Congress led to economic blockade on two highways by the United Naga Council since November 1 last year.
Political analysts said that Congress could gain from the move since Kuki dominated areas are likely to support the party. BJP is also expected to get some seats in the hills, they said.
Hilly areas account for 20 of the 60 seats in the state assembly. Union home ministry is making a fresh bid to break the Manipur logjam and has invited the UNC to attend the tripartite talks in Delhi on February 3.
Earlier attempts to break the logjam did not yield any result. BJP is blaming the state government for not clearing the blockade. The Congress is blaming the Centre for being soft on the UNC and eyeing a slice of Naga votes. Congress has unleashed a campaign that UNC sponsored blockade has support of militant outfit NSCN-IM.
Source: Economic Times
