Imphal, 11 Oct. 2020: BJP’s Central Election Committee today announced the names of party candidates for by-elections to be held different states.
Party’s candidates for 4 Manipur Assembly constituencies of Manipur was announced. BJP candidate in Lilong is not yet announced and tempers are running high as the by-elections dates are approaching.
Advantage Ex-MLA Abdul Nasir after “missing”(nominee) BJP candidate in Lilong ?
BJP candidate in Lilong Assembly constituency of Thoubal district in Manipur was missing from the list of candidates the party fielded. This fueled the speculation that BJP may not field its candidate in this constituency for the upcoming Assembly by-elections. Is BJP fielding its candidate in Lilong is now a million dollar question?
Political analyst feels that BJP may not field its own candidate as it looks like a deal with Ex MLA from Congress Abdul Nasir. Nasir didn’t join BJP unlike his other colleagues who switch sides and vacated their MLA ship.
Enraged supporters of the BJP Lilong Mandal in Lilong Assembly constituency took to streets to burning down party flags, posters and damaging the office property.
Video of the protestors from a Facebook post
Video of the protestors from a Facebook post
Surge of BJP in Lilong assembly constituency is significant as majority of the voters belongs to the Muslim community.
By election in Lilong Assembly Constituency is schedule for November 2020 alongwith 4 other Assembly seats. The seat was earlier held by Muhammad Abdul Nasir who was elected on a Congress ticket in 2017.He vacated the seat in run up to the trust vote for N Biren Singh’s BJP led coalition government. BJP led coalition with Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s government survived the trust vote following mass exodus from the Congress MLAs.
However, all the Ex-MLAs from Congress except Abdul Nasir from Lilong Assembly constituency joined BJP.
Ex-Congress MLA, Abdul Nasir seems to non-committal of joining BJP and status of his relationship with BJP seems to be “complicated”. Given the circumstances, it is still not clear if BJP will field its candidate in Lilong Assembly Constituency.
According to sources, Ex-MLA of Lilong Assembly seat had quoted in some public forums that in event of BJP fielding its own candidate for Lilong Assembly seat, he will not contest the by-elections.
Also read BJP candidates list for upcoming by elections including Manipur announced
