By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Reacting to the news report that the UDP ticket for the Nongthymmai seat could go to Latiplang Kharkongor who is also the MDC of the area, a section of UDP workers from Nongthymmai have strongly contested the claim. These workers said leaders of UDP Shillong City had approached Dr Jemino Mawthoh much before the merger of the KHNAM with the UDP.
A UDP member from Nongthymmai said Dr Mawthoh had got substantial votes in the 2008 election from Nongthymmai area. As such the UDP leaders gave the go ahead to Mawthoh to work at nurturing that constituency.
While Mawthoh was inducted into the UDP in June 2011 the KHNAM-UDP merger took place much later in December 2011. As such they felt that Mawthoh had a more legitimate claim to the ticket.
The UDP workers said they had carefully analysed the results of the last assembly election to determine the winnability of Mawthoh. In the last election Mawthoh was denied the UDP ticket at the last moment. He joined the NCP and had only three months to prepare for the elections. But in that short time he was able to garner substantial votes from Nongthymmai area. They claim that Mawthoh was way ahead of the KHNAM candidate who was also the sitting MDC at that time. Mawthoh was leading in all the polling stations of Nongthymmai area except one, while Kharkongor came second last on the list. The UDP workers feel that these results are a clear pointer of the mass support that Dr Mawthoh received.
The UDP workers also claim that some key members from the Congress in Nongthymmai constituency have resigned and pledged support to Dr Mawthoh and that he also stands a better chance of garnering the non-tribal votes.
The two major areas falling under the District Council constituency – Madanrting and Umpling Khasi – do not fall under the delimited Nongthymmai constituency. This they say is a disadvantage to Latiplang Kharkongor.
It may also be mentioned that new areas falling under Laitumkhrah constituency viz. Nongrim Hills, Refugee Colony, Lumshngain now fall within the new Nongthymmai Constituency besides Nongrah and Lapalang which earlier were under Sohryngkham constituency.
UDP sources say that immediately after his induction into the UDP, Mawthoh had mobilized the UDP workers and supporters in Nongthymmai area. In a largely attended meeting on July 28 last at Lumbhalang, Lawjynriew, the UDP Nongthymmai Circle unanimously recommended Dr Mawthoh as the UDP candidate from Nongthymmai constituency. They said Latiplang failed to attend the said meeting. As such they strongly feel that Mawthoh deserves the ticket.
Further, UDP Shillong City had constituted a six-member committee to gauge the winnability of both candidates. Accordingly on April 24 last, both Latiplang Kharkongor and Jemino Mawthoh were asked to give their opinion. Both agreed to leave it to the wisdom of the party. The committee took a decision that on May 28, 2012 both Latiplang and Mawthoh should bring with them 50 supporters each. The meeting was scheduled to be held at the residence of the party president Dr Donkupar Roy. While Mawthoh was ready for this exercise, Latiplang asked for more time. The meeting, postponed to June 5, could also not be held as Latiplang was not inclined to it. A few days later Latiplang went public, thereby violating the decision taken by the Committee.
Taking this into account the UDP workers by and large feel that the ticket should go to Dr Mawthoh and that the KHNAM-UDP merger agreement should not stand in the way. They claimed that Mawthoh stands a better chance at defeating the Congress candidate Charles Pyngrope.