The Bharatiya Janata Party has signed an ‘agreement of cooperation’ with several party members who might be fielded in the upcoming Manipur assembly elections, in a bid to prevent them from switching their allegiance before the polls.
The members include those who could be nominated in Keisamthong assembly constituency in Imphal West district and Sugnu in Kakching district, sources said.
"The party has signed an agreement of cooperation with many probable candidates in the presence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, so that they don't switch sides amid the developing political scenario" BJP's chief spokesperson in the state, Ch Bijoy, told PTI.
The saffron party has been conducting ’sensitisation’ meetings to ensure bonhomie and cooperation among members who are likely to be fielded in the polls.
The elections for Manipur's 60-member assembly will be held in two phases on February 27 and March 3, while counting of votes will take place on March 10.
The BJP, which has witnessed an exodus in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh with three ministers recently quitting the party, is yet to announce its list of candidates for the Manipur assembly elections.
It had formed the government in Manipur in 2017 despite bagging just 21 seats compared to Congress's 28 by joining hands with two local parties -- NPP and NPF. Later, the BJP's own strength increased to 30 after some MLAs defected from the Congress and other parties.
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