Almost all BJP ticket aspirants in Manipur who have missed the bus have announced that they will contest as Independents or as candidates of other parties. Each of the Valley constituencies had an average five aspirants for the BJP ticket. At local meetings, they used to aver that if they lost out in the race, they would wholeheartedly support the official candidate. But that was not to be. Chongtham Bijoy, BJP spokesperson, said, “One ticket is issued in each constituency. Those with wafer-thin party loyalty have left us and it is not surprising.” The disappointed lot have vowed to defeat the BJP candidates.
