By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Newly-appointed MPCC president DD Lapang said the party would give preference to ticket aspirants who have high chances of winning the upcoming 2013 Assembly election.
“The person who has more chances of winning the election would be given the ticket,” Lapang said while speaking to reporters on the first day of assuming office as the new State party chief at the Congress Bhavan here on Monday.
He said the party is very clear that it would not allot tickets to candidates who have the resources to fight the election but whose chances of winning are very slim.
‘We need to realize that money alone does not always work. Unless the candidate is acceptable to the people it would be difficult for him/her to win the election,” Lapang said.
The newly named MPCC president, however, admitted that there are several business persons at present who are keen to join active politics.
Lapang said that the party would also give due consideration to the recommendations made by the Block Congress Committee (BCC) while allotting the party ticket.
Stating that the party has its own convention which is required to be followed while selecting the candidates, Lapang said that after the recommendation of the BCC, the candidates are screened by the District Congress Committee (DCC) and then by the MPCC State Election Committee (SEC).
“The list of candidates is finally being sent to the AICC for its final approval,” Lapang said while adding that at present, they also have the Coordination Committee led by AICC general secretary in charge Meghalaya, Dhaniram Shandil who would also be screening the candidates before recommending their names to the AICC.
When asked about the prospects of the Congress party in the upcoming elections, he said he is confident that the party under his and Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma’s leaderships would get more than 30 seats.
“We are confident of winning the election with absolute majority,” Lapang said.
Meanwhile, the senior Congress leader said that his main mission is to bring unity in the party even as he appealed to all sections to resolve all differences so that the party can fight the election unitedly.
“I will soon hold a meeting with different frontal wings of the party for strengthening the party at the grass roots level,” he said.
He also informed that he would visit the various district headquarters to meet the party workers.
Meanwhile, Lapang informed that he would hold a meeting of MPCC office bearers on April 25 and the executive committee meeting of the MPCC on May 5.
Lapang stressed that the party would be fully involved and engaged in the implementation of the flagship programmes both at the State and the Centre in its commitment to bring about socio economic upliftment of the people.
Earlier in day, the newly elected MPCC president held meetings with leaders of the Youth and Mahila Congress in his chamber.