From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: Badhok Nongmalieh, who would be contesting the 2013 State polls as an Independent candidate from Nongpoh constituency received a major boost after hundreds of farmers from Umklai village, about 10 km from here, agreed to lend their support to him during the election.
Speaking at a campaign meeting at Umklai, Nongmalieh said he has decided to contest as an Independent candidate from Nongpoh with an aim to eradicate poverty and to uplift agriculture in the constituency as most of the people in the constituency depend on farming for their livelihood.
He expressed his concern over the lock of efforts by the policy makers to uplift agriculture and the problem of unemployment among the youth in the constituency.
“In the 40 years of Statehood and 20 years of Ri-Bhoi being declared a district, many legislators have come and gone but there is still no policy for the benefit of the local residents of Ri-Bhoi who are dependent on agriculture,” Nongmalieh said.
On the occasion, office bearers were elected for the Umklai Unit with Alias Jyrwa as president, Paul Narlong as secretary, Jama Syngkli and Clorinda Makri as women’s wing president and secretary respectively, besides others.
Earlier, Nongmalieh donated a school playground for St. Thomas UP School at Umthangiong after representative from the Catholic Church of Umthangiong sought his help in getting a playground for the benefit of the school children.