Dadenggre MLA Augustine D Marak yet to collect application form
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With a total of 148 party members who taken the application form for Congress tickets for the forthcoming Assembly polls in the State, the party leadership both at the State and the National level would have their task cut out to shortlist the party candidates for the 60 constituencies.
Party sources informed that 148 forms have been disbursed till 6 pm on Friday, the last date for availing the application forms.
“Earlier a deadline of 4 pm had been set for disbursal of the application forms but on request the time was extended till 6 pm,” party sources informed on Friday night.
The sources also informed that 27 out of 28 sitting Congress legislators have taken the application forms including Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma and MPCC president DD Lapang.
Interestingly, Dadenggre legislator Augustine D Marak has not yet collected the application form which has given rise to speculations that the former Minister would not be contesting the 2013 Assembly election.
Sources also informed that the MPCC has disbursed quite a number of application forms to aspiring women candidates, prominent among whom include Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh (Shillong East), MPCC working president Deborah Ch Marak (Williamnagar) and former minister Roshan Warjri (Shillong North).
With such a large number of ticket aspirants, party sources are of the view that one of the major tests for the party leadership would be to appease the party supporters and workers especially in those constituencies like Pynursla, Mawthadraishan, Mawshynrut, Shella, Umsning and Mairang, where where there are more than one aspirant for the ticket.
“At the moment there is a lot of confusion among the party workers since they are not sure who would be finally allotted with the ticket,” the sources revealed.
The sources also said that the party leadership would have to devise ways and means to see that party workers and supporters do not come out of the party to support those candidates who do not get the party tickets.
The aspirants will have to submit the filled-in application forms to the respective Block Congress Committees within September 15. The last date of submission of the forms by the Block Congress Committees to the District Congress Committees is October 1. The District Congress Committees will then hand over the forms to the MPCC by October 15.
The final list of candidates would be approved and released by the AICC in consultation with the MPCC.