Imphal: Protestors burnt the Naga People’s Front (NPF) Party flag on Monday evening in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district, hours after the party announced it would contest ten seats in the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly elections next month.
The list includes two former Congress leaders who recently joined the party.
Supporters of Morung Mokunga, a former minister and an advisor to NPF president who sought an NPF ticket from Tengnoupal (ST), staged a protest after the party issued a ticket to a new entrant.
The protestors also included supporters of intending candidates TK Moshilpha and Armstrong Charanga, who were also denied tickets.
Apart from M Francis Ngajokpa, the NPF has shortlisted Dangsawa Korungthang Maring, another former Congress leader, from Tengnoupal (ST) constituency for the Manipur polls next month.
Disappointed with the allotment of the party ticket, some party workers alleged that the party gave a ticket for Tengnoupal (ST) constituency to a candidate who did not have the public’s mandate.
In December, the Tengnoupal unit of the NPF had warned of a mass resignation if they gave the party ticket for the Manipur elections to D Korungthang Maring, who was then in Congress and was planning to join NPF. Eventually, he joined the party later in December last year.
Notably, such protest and burning of party flags is not the first incident in the run-up to the state polls next month.
Soon after the BJP released the 60 candidates list for Manipur polls, angry party workers of the hopefuls and intending candidates stormed on roads and staged protests in various places in the state. They even pulled down party flags and banners and set them on fire. The irate supporters of BJP also burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister N Biren Singh and shouted slogans.
A few candidates have resigned from the BJP and joined the opposition Congress, NPP and JD(U).
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