The BJP replaced Singh, who won the seat in 2019, with state minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh in its 6th list. The BJP nominated candidates from two Rajasthan seats and one Manipur seat, removing all three existing legislators, including Union minister of state for external affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh from the vital inner Manipur seat. The BJP replaced Singh, who won the seat in 2019, with state education minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh in its sixth list.The BJP is contesting only one of the two Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern state that has been violent since May 3. It will back Naga People's Front nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, a retired Indian Revenue Service officer, and not run in Outer Manipur. Basanta Kumar Singh, 59, a former Indian Police Service officer who represents Nambol seat in Bishnupur district in the Manipur assembly, told reporters at the BJP state headquarters in Imphal, “I thank all the members of the central election committee of BJP and state leaders for giving me this opportunity to contest the parliamentary poll In Rajasthan, the BJP nominated Kanhaiya Lal Meena from Dausa and Indu Devi Jatav from Scheduled Caste-reserved Karauli-Dholpur. Sitting lawmakers Jaskaur Meena from Dausa and Manoj Rajoria from Karauli-Dholpur were dropped. In 1999, the BJP won the inner Manipur seat, which includes Imphal and its environs and is dominated by Meiteis, one of the populations involved in the ethnic warfare that has killed at least 219 people. Basanta Kumar Singh, the son of former Union minister Thounaojam Chaoba Singh, faces Congress's Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Maheshwar Thounoujam from Republican Party of India (Athawale), and Manipur Peoples Party actor Rajkumar Somorendro. Ranjan Singh, 71, a former Manipur University professor and registrar, won the seat in 2019. He became Union minister of state for education and external affairs in 2021. In May and June of last year, armed Meiteis and Kukis mobs assaulted and burned his Imphal residence. A senior state BJP leader, who requested anonymity, said: “The main reason Ranjan Singh was dropped was his lack of acceptance among Meitei voters, who feel he did not raise his voice about Manipur in Parliament. Though a capable leader, he couldn't say things against party policy. Imphal voters don't realize this. His age also hurt him.”Significantly, Ranjan Singh wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, pushing him to establish a structure to bring together reputable civil society groups from the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities for peace negotiations. Singh said peace and normalcy are being prevented in Manipur “by some few political leaders, a handful of armed groups and wrongly motivated scoundrels” without identifying anyone. He urged Modi to spare civil society groups from both sides being “coerced or influenced by armed militias and insurgents”. In Rajasthan, the BJP nominated Kanhaiya Lal Meena from Dausa and Indu Devi Jatav from Scheduled Caste-reserved Karauli-Dholpur. Sitting parliamentarians Jaskaur Meena from Dausa and Manoj Rajoria from Karauli-Dholpur were fired. “In Dausa, Meena and state agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena sought the ticket for their family. The party declined to field either. A source stated Kirodi Lal Meena's fans are upset with the decision.Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP has nominated 24 candidates but has not chosen a Bhilwara candidate.