The BJP on Tuesday, March 26, nominated Manipur Education Minister Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh from the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat.
In the process, the high command has sought to yet again back Chief Minister N Biren Singh because Basantakumar had earlier displayed ambitions even to replace the Chief Minister.
The central leadership in the process dropped sitting lawmaker and Minister of State for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
Thounaojam Basantakumar, 59, is the son of former Union minister Thounaojam Chaoba Singh. The former IPS officer is now an MLA from the Nambol assembly constituency in Bishnupur district.
The announcement of the BJP candidate for the crucial Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency comes two days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh claimed that the saffron party will win the prestigious seat by a huge margin. For Outer Manipur -- tribal hub seat - the BJP has decided to back NPF candidate.
The Congress has fielded Angomcha Bimol Akoijam in the Inner Manipur segment.
The Naga People's Front nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, a retired Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, is a Naga. In 2023, Manipur witnessed unprecedented ethnic conflict for months between Hindu Meiteis and Christian Kuki-Zo communities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipped campaigning in Mizoram in 2023 assembly polls where Mizos share ethnic bond with Kukis. Now it remains to be seen whether Modi will visit Manipur for campaign in the state.
Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and tribal Kuki communities in the northeastern state for about five months since May last year have resulted in the loss of over 200 lives and thousands rendered homeless. A substantial number of them have taken shelter in Mizoram.
The Inner Manipur seat and some areas of the Outer Manipur constituency will vote in the first phase on April 19, while the remaining segments of the Outer Manipur seat will go to poll in phase 2 on April 26.
Those living in camps in violence-hit Manipur will be allowed to vote from their temporary settlements, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on March 16, the day the Lok Sabha poll schedule was announced.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Biren Singh congratulated Th Basanta Singh for his candidacy while terming him the "right candidate" to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha Election.
"I heartily congratulate Shri @thbasantasingh on being nominated as the candidate of BJP Manipur Pradesh for Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. With an excellent track record in serving the public in various capabilities, Shri Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh is the right candidate to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha Election. I wish him all the best and pray for his success," CM Biren posted on X.
The Congress has multiple bank accounts and just three-four of them have been attached, "not frozen", for non-payment of tax dues, the BJP said Saturday.
It accused the opposition party of making misleading statements on the issue sensing its "imminent" defeat in the Lok Sabha poll.
"These bank accounts have not been frozen, they are operational. You (Congress) can deposit money in these accounts and withdraw too, except Rs 125 crore, which has been attached by the Income Tax department due to the non-payment of dues as per Income Tax rules," BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
Referring to media reports, he said the Congress has about Rs 1,000 crore in its multiple bank accounts, opened with "multiple PAN" numbers in "violation of its own party constitution". The Congress also has a fixed asset of worth Rs 500 crore, the BJP leader claimed.
He said the Income Tax Department has attached three-four bank accounts of the Congress due to the non-payment of outstanding Rs 135 crore as per rules.
He slammed senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his claim that the party doesn't have funds to even book train tickets following the freezing of its accounts.
"Rahul Gandhi is saying there is no money with the Congress to even buy train tickets while he is seen travelling by chartered plane every day," the BJP leader charged and demanded the Congress leader give a "technical answer, instead of political" on the issue.
"(Congress president) Mallikarjun Kharge, (former Congress president) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi held a press conference in this connection and took anticipatory bail from the people's court by making wrong arguments in support of their claims seeing their imminent and miserable defeat in the Lok Sabha elections," Patra told a press conference at the party headquarters.
Sambit Patra also slammed the Congress for accusing the Modi government of depriving it of a level-playing field in the elections by "crippling" its finances.
"How come police and dacoits would have the same level-playing field," Mr Patra said, taking a swipe at the main opposition party.
"You want a level-playing field while playing in the field of corruption. This is not possible... The one who has committed the corruption will run and the other will chase to catch him," the BJP spokesperson said.
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