By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Infighting in the Congress party is no longer restricted only to the ticket aspirants.
It is reported that there is an ongoing tussle between the Congress party leadership and the party workers at the grassroots level over the choice of the candidates for the Mawkynrew and Mawryngkneng Assembly constituencies.
As far as Mawkynrew is concerned, sources informed that the party leadership wants the ticket to be allotted to prominent Government contractor Banteidor Lyngdoh popularly known as ‘Paidang’, whereas the party rank and file are in favour of Block Congress general secretary Drola Khongjoh.
In the case of Mawryngkneng, senior members of the Block Congress and party workers are in favour of a person from within the Constituency, namely Pynehborlang Mukhim, whereas former Sohryngkham MLA and present Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly, Charles Pyngrope, wants to set up his son David Nongrum from the same Constituency. Pyngrope has abandoned his old Constituency and shifted to Nongthymmai.
Mawkynrew Block sources said here on Monday that there are many senior leaders in the Congress who are in favour of awarding the ticket to Banteidor Lyngdoh.
According to sources, this prominent Government contractor only recently showed his interest to contest the upcoming election, adding that he came into the fray after Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong decided to contest from Pynursla constituency.
Following the delimitation of constituencies, Tynsong was earlier keeping his options open whether to contest from Mawkynrew or from Pynursla, sources said.
“It was only last year that the Forest and Environment Minister finally took a call to contest from Pynursla,” sources said.
Meanwhile, sources allege that the whole idea of putting Lyngdoh into the fray from Mawkynrew constituency originated from Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma.
“Besides the Chief Minister, there are a host of senior party leaders who are backing Lyngdoh to get the party ticket,” sources said.
Sources informed that this projection by the party leadership of candidate foisted on the Constituency has not gone well with many of the members of Mawkynrew Block Congress Committee (MBCC).
“A majority party members have strong reservations over the selection of Lyngdoh since does not belong to the Constituency,” sources said.
The party members argued that Khongjoh being a person from the area would have a better understanding of the problems faced by the people of the area.
It may be mentioned that Khongjoh had unsuccessfully contested the last Assembly election on an NCP ticket from Jongksha constituency.
Khongjoh came third in the race behind sitting Jongksha legislator Remington Pyngrope (UDP) and former Minister Martle N Mukhim in a close contest.
Moreover, sources informed that the women party workers of the Mahila Congress are also supporting Khongjoh for the party ticket.
During the meeting of the Mahila Congress which was held at Jongksha on Saturday, the women party workers vowed to support the MBCC secretary for the ticket.
The case in Mawryngkneng is somewhat similar. Sources informed that the Mahila Congress and a substantial section of Youth Congress members are in favour of Mukhim who had enrolled many youth into the party.
David Nongrum, meanwhile, is being termed a rank outsider being a resident of Laitumkhrah.
These rumblings could be major hurdles for the Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for Feb-Mar, 2013.