Imphal:
Major political parties have announced their candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur with Congress stating today that the two sitting MPs would be their contestants.
While Meinya Singh would be contesting from inner Manipur constituency, Thangso Baite is the contender in the outer Manipur segment, Congress sources said.
Manipur has two parliamentary seats - Inner Manipur (valley districts) and Outer Manipur (hill districts).
Sources in the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) said former member of parliament Kim Gangte, who is also the president of state AITC unit, would be contesting from outer Manipur while Sarangthem Manaobi Singh would be party candidate in the inner Manipur.
BJP had earlier announced that R K Ranjan, former Registrar of Manipur University (MU), would be party candidate in inner Manipur while Gangmumei Kamei, former state higher education minister and former professor of the MU, would be contesting from outer Manipur.
Ten political parties including CPI, Manipur People's Party and other smaller parties had earlier said senior CPI leader M Nara would be their common candidate in inner Manipur constituency.
The state will go to the first phase polling on April 9 and second phase polling will be conducted on April 17 in inner Manipur.
The last date for filing nomination papers has been fixed on March 26 and scrutiny of papers next day, sources said adding that the last date for withdrawal of papers would be on March 29.
Counting of votes will be on May 16, sources added.