The two contested the by-elections on BJP tickets and

retained their seats. Party MLA and president Th. Shyamkumar Singh, MLAs Irengbam Ibohalbi Singh, Konthoujam Sarat Singh and Oinam Lukhoi Singh joined the Congress last year.

TMC vice-president Mukul Roy, under instruction from party supremo Mamata Banerjee, reconstituted the entire state unit.

In order to reach out to the masses fed up with the politics of economic blockade, the TMC embarked on publicising various welfare schemes, it intended to launch if it has the leverage in governemnt formation, which had handed the party rich dividends in the last Bengal Assembly poll.

The party put up posters informing people about the Kanyashree scheme, which offers monthly scholarship of Rs 750 to girl students from financially weak families, Sabuj Sathi scheme under which cycles are given away among students and Khadya Sathi scheme which offers rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg to around seven crore people.

"The people of Manipur have seen Congress government for the last 15 years, but have hardly heard of such schemes.

If TMC gets decisive power in government formation we will push for these schemes," TMC leader Samrat Tapadar, who looks after poll arrangement for the party, said.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)