By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The recent directive of the Congress to keep in abeyance the process of selection of candidates by the blocks and the district congress committees in those constituencies in Garo Hills belonging to the independents, who had extended support to the Congress during the government formation, has irked many senior Congress leaders including former ministers.
They said that the preference given to the independents and legislators from other parties who had supported the Congress during the formation of the government in the past will only undermine the efforts of many senior Congress leaders and ex-ministers, who wish to contest from these seats.
The general secretary of MPCC in charge administration, Polycarp Marak, in a letter addressed to the presidents of district election committees said that some of the independents or other party legislators in the State had supported the party in the government formation.
“These legislators have expressed their strong desire to contest the coming Assembly elections under the banner of Indian National Congress. But due to certain provisions in the Constitution of India, they cannot join the party at this juncture or submit their applications formally for the party ticket as per the directive of the MPCC,” Marak said.
The Independent MLAs who helped in the formation of the Congress-led MUA government during the tenure of both DD Lapang and Dr Mukul Sangma include Power Minister AT Mondal, Ismail Marak and Limison Sangma, all from Garo Hills.