Four aspirants seek ticket to contest 2013 polls
From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: Political parties in the State have sounded the poll bugle as Meghalaya is gearing up for Assembly elections scheduled to be held in February-March, 2013.
With a year left for the battle of ballots to constitute the ninth Legislative Assembly, almost all the political parties — from the ruling Congress to the Opposition NCP, and from the United Democratic Party (UDP) to the BJP and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) – are working overtime to select “winnable” candidates.
The 2013 polls will also be held under newly delimited constituencies. While the number of constituencies has remained unchanged at 60, some new areas have been carved out and some old ones omitted.
However, delimitation of constituencies has posed a new challenge for all the political parties.
With the creation of some new constituencies, some new faces have emerged seeking tickets to contest the poll.
One such constituency is Umsning, which is a result of delimitation. Four persons have sought the UDP ticket to contest the poll.
The four UDP ticket aspirants are — Field Marshal Mawphniang of Kdonghulu, Bhoirymbong, Lurshai Wahlang, president, UDP (Umsning), Donkupar Sumer, ex-president, KSU and Mrs. Jennyffer Joan Kylla, ex-Member of Meghalaya State Commission for Women.
The party’s state election committee will take the final decision on March 5.
Rajabagan incident condemned: The local residents of the Jojwa village, an adjacent village of Rajabagan, have condemned the February 25 incident and urged the administration to take stern action against those involved in the incident.
Miscreants believed to be members of the HNYF hurled petrol bombs at the Rajabagan market in Ri Bhoi district, damaging 87 shops belonging to different communities and damaged four motorcycles parked in one of the shops.
Following the incident, the district administration arrested around 30 HNYF members who were released later.
The residents of Jojwa village criticized two fellow villagers — Moonlight Rabon and Marwell Areng – for their alleged involvement in the incident.
Police on February 29 arrested four people including Marwell Areng and S. Sangma.
Meghalaya Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh on February 28 warned of severe action against the perpetrators of recent petrol petrol bomb attack at Rajabagan market in Ri-Bhoi district.
“The situation is returning to normal,” the Mr. Lyngdoh said adding that as a precautionary measure two platoons of Meghalaya Police will remain in the area to ensure normalcy.
Lyngdoh directed the Ri-Bhoi police to speed up its investigation and to bring those attackers to book. He said 61 persons camping at the relief camp set up by the authorities in the village were looked after with all basic aminities.
Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and NCP legislator, Conrad Sangma, on Sunday visited Rajabagan.
He demanded immediate compensation to the affected people.