District Council Polls
As the administrative preparations are going on in full swing to conduct the District Council polls in Khasi Hills on March 15, the political parties have become active once again.
What is the importance of this election? Wbo have the biggest stakes in it?
From all indications available, this election is going to be a battle of artrition for the State-based parties, which, consequent, on being battered at the Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills District Council hustings earlier, have of late suffred considerable erosion of strengh, especially from the second-level leadership. The gainer, obviously, the Congress (I) – the party presently in power-is going the whole hog to complete the routing of the State-based parties.
Having virtually bungled with the so-called ‘‘unity move’’, the APHLC and HSPDP are fighting a desperate back to wall battle to defend their last moorings-the Khasi Hills District Council. In this pursuit the two parties have decided to work out a seat-adjusment. Party sources said that barring three constituencies there was clear unanimity among the leaders. Observers say that if the present election results are any guide, then the regional parties should have a clear edge over the Congress (I) For, it must be noted that the national party could never catch the imagination of the people of Khasi and Jantia Hills districts.
Presently riding a crest of succcess, the Congress (I) with “its superior resources, added by the current spate of defections from the regional parties, is poised to strike the hardest to wrest power – for the first time – from the local parties.
According to Mr. J.E. Tariang, the working pesident of the MPCC (I), the last of parties nominees would be released by February 14.
Meanwhile, a piquant situation has arisen following the near-total deletion of names of eligible non-tribal residents from the electoral rolls. It is gathered that although there was no instruction from the top some underlings have, taken upon themselves to ruthlessly strike off the non-tribal names from the list.