Imphal, March 9: The four Left parties and the Janata Dal (Secular) today formed a coordinating committee to ensure the success of the CPI candidate in the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency.

The five parties formed the Left and Democratic Coordinating Committee for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency at a meeting held at the CPI office here this morning.

The other Left parties are the CPM and the Manipur units of the All India Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party.

Ksh. Santa Singh of the CPM and L. Sotinkumar of the CPI were appointed as co-convenors.

The CPI has already announced former cabinet minister Moirangthem Nara Singh as the party’s candidate for the Inner seat. He lost the seat to Thokchom Meinya Singh of the Congress in the last parliamentary elections.

Neither the CPI nor any of the other parties in the coordination committee is likely to contest the Outer seat, reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates, because of lack of strong base.

Announcing the formation of the coordination committee, CPI state secretary Langol Iboyaima said joining of hands of the like-minded parties would certainly strengthen the hands of the CPI and brighten the chance of the party candidate.

The coordinating committee is unlikely to join the UPA or the BJP camp. It is considering joining a third front if that is formed before or after the elections.

The CPI is a partner in the Okram Ibobi Singh-led Secular Progressive Front ministry.

The Outer Manipur seat will go to the polls on April 16 while the Inner one will vote on April 22.

The Outer seat is currently represented by an Independent.

While the Congress, leading the coalition, has not been able to announce its candidates, an Opposition front comprising the Nationalist Congress Party, Manipur Peoples Party, National Peoples Party and the Manipur State Congress Party has already announced candidates for both the Inner and the Outer seats.

The BJP has decided to field former chief minister Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh as the party’s candidate for the Inner seat. Iboyaima said the coordinating committee would meet soon and chalk out strategy for the election campaign.

Among those who attended today’s meeting are health minister Pheiroijam Parijat Singh (CPI) and former Rajya Sabha member and president of the Janata Dal (S) W. Kullabidhu Singh.