‘BJP offered ticket, said I’ll need Rs 36 cr to fight Ibobi’

IROM SHARMILA Chanu, the Iron Lady of Manipur, said on Sunday that the BJP had approached her, asking her to contest the Assembly elections against Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on a party ticket, but she wanted to fight as an Independent. Irom alleged the BJP had told her that she would need “Rs 36 crore to fight Ibobi Singh”.

“I was approached by the BJP to fight on their ticket in this election. Their suggestion was that to fight Ibobi, I will need Rs 36 crore. If I have it, I should produce it, if not, the Centre would sanction it... I said I will contest the elections as an Independent. I don’t criticise other political parties. I just want to bring a change in society,” she said in an interview to NDTV.

Irom will contest the Manipur Assembly elections in March against Chief Minister and Congress candidate Okram Ibobi Singh from the Thoubal constituency.

Thoubal is Ibobi Singh’s home constituency, which has delivered him a win in the past three assembly polls.

Reacting to Irom’s comment, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav later in the day tweeted: “Absolute lie. Our entire election campaign in Manipur doesn’t cost that much. She should find respectable ways of fighting elections.”

When contacted by The Indian Express, Irom said she will be holding a press conference in Imphal on Monday during which she will talk about the issue at length.

“I will only talk about it tomorrow,” she said.

Irom is contesting against CM Ibobi Singh