By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: More Congress aspirants, who were denied party tickets, are contemplating to contest the elections, posing a threat to the official candidates of the party.
Many prominent Congress ticket aspirants including senior party leaders, who were denied the party tickets, are analyzing pros and cons of contesting the upcoming Assembly elections, but there are a few who have already decided to join the fray as Independent candidates.
The State Mahila Congress general secretary, Pelcy Snaitang was among first to announce her decision to contest from Mawshynrut constituency as an Independent candidate.
Snaitang, who is believed to be a strong contender to win the upcoming election, lost the race for the party ticket to former Union Minister Vincent H Pala’s close aide Methodius Dkhar, who joined the party only a few months back.
When contacted on Tuesday, Snaitang informed that she took the decision after majority of her supporters insisted that that she should contest.
“After serving the party for so many years, I felt I was betrayed by not allotting the ticket. By contesting the election, I want to show the Congress leaders that they have taken a wrong decision by denying me the party ticket,” she asserted.
Snaitang also informed that she has already submitted her resignation as the State Mahila Congress secretary to the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) president Anita Verma.
“I have submitted my resignation as a primary member of the party to MPCC president DD Lapang,” the independent candidate from Mawshynrut constituency said.
Meanwhile, sitting Congress woman MDC from Pariong, Irin Lyngdoh said that she would take a call on contesting the upcoming elections after consulting her supporters in the next few days.
“I never expected that I would be denied the party ticket. The party leadership has betrayed me despite being a loyal member of the party,” said Lyngdoh, who lost the party ticket to MPCC president DD Lapang’s close aide and former Mairang legislator, Boldness L Nongum.
She also claimed that no one can deny the fact that she was the first Congress candidate to win from Pariong which was a stronghold of HSPDP.
“I was also responsible in convincing many of the prominent regional party leaders in West Khasi Hills to join the Congress. I felt I have been stabbed from the back after working so hard for the betterment of the party,” Lyngdoh said.
Senior Congress leader and former Nongshken MLA KK Dkhar said that he was still analyzing whether to contest the upcoming elections.
“I would like to take my supporters into confidence before taking any final decision,” Dkhar said, while also informing that the leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to meet him at his residence on Tuesday.
“I have not given my word to contest from the TMC since I am yet to take a decision,” said Dkhar, who lost the party ticket to Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong.
He also expressed his disappointment over denial of party ticket after being associated with the party for the past so many years.
Moreover, prominent leader of Shella Block Congress Committee (SBCC) Leston Wanswett also informed that he would contest the upcoming election from Shella constituency as an Independent candidate.
“I would be holding a meeting of my supporters in Mawlong on January 11 to seek their blessings to contest the upcoming elections,” said Wanswett who lost the race for the party ticket to Pala’s close aide Jropsing Nongkhlaw.
While criticizing the Congress leadership for denying him the ticket, Wanswett said that the Congress can no longer be considered as a democratic party.
“The Congress has overlooked the voice of the party workers at the grassroots level,” Wanswett said, while also recalling that in the election held at the primary unit, majority of the SBCC members had voted in his favour for the allotment of party ticket.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma’s close aide Banteidor Lyngdoh has also decided to contest the upcoming election from Mawkynrew constituency as an Independent candidate.
Lyngdoh took this decision during a meeting which was attended by thousands of Congress party workers of Mawkynrew Block Congress Committee (MBCC) including senior party men at Laitkyrhong on Tuesday.
While speaking at the meeting, Lyngdoh said, “I am contesting this election since majority of the supporters want me to join the fray,”.
Lyngdoh lost the race for the Congress ticket to Mawkynrew Block Congress Committee president Drosing Khongjoh.