Shiv Sena Shinde Faction Plans Major Bid for Manipur Assembly Seats

Imphal: The Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena is preparing to contest more than 35 seats in the Manipur Assembly elections scheduled for February next year. M. Tombi Singh, the party's Manipur unit president, unveiled this electoral strategy during a press conference on Friday.

Singh stated that the party aims to provide an alternative to existing political groups that have struggled to address the state's ongoing unrest. Addressing the need for new representation, Singh said, "We will field more than 35 candidates in the coming Assembly elections. We want to protect the land and bring development to the state." He argued that since other parties have failed to resolve current tensions, the Shiv Sena should be given the chance to help protect local lives and property.

Manipur's Legislative Assembly consists of 60 seats, divided between 40 in the Imphal Valley and 20 in the hill districts. The party is working to bolster its organizational presence across the region and hopes to secure a double-digit seat count when voters head to the polls. Beyond the state-level race, the Shiv Sena is also gearing up for local Panchayat elections, planning to run over 30 candidates if those polls proceed as planned on October 1.