From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: The Grand Old Man of State politics, Hoping Stone Lyngdoh incumbent legislator of 32- Nongstoin AC filed his nomination in Nongstoin on Saturday.
Speaking to The Shillong Times following the filing of his nomination, he said that he was confident of winning and that no party or candidates in the constituency concerned were a threat to him.
He added that he was unsure about the number of votes he would secure as the delimitation had transferred some of the polling stations to another AC and new polling stations had also been added. However, Lyngdoh said that the eight polling stations added from erstwhile Pariong AC would be an added advantage as most of the people from the AC had voted Dr Advisor Pariong to power.
Lyngdoh said that the HSPDP was going to secure 4 out of 5 seats from West Khasi Hills District. He added that he had introduced Dr Advisor Pariong to politics and now he was contesting against him.
Hopingstone mentioned in the brief interaction that the HSPDP had joined the coalition government and secured Dr Pariong the Health Minister portfolio in the cabinet and yet he was not satisfied and wanted more. He said that the people would judge his actions in the upcoming polls.
Hopingstone said that he was interested in forming the government with some regional parties namely the UDP. Contrary to earlier situations, Hopingstone is of the belief that this time the regional parties would form a stable government.
Hopingstone Lyngdoh has to his credit 10 terms as an MLA, 7 terms as an MDC and 1 term as an MP. He has been considered invincible considering that he had never lost an election ever.
DEO issues notification for restricted media entry
NONGTOIN: The District Election Officer West Khasi Hills, S Kharlyngdoh has issued a notice to media persons of the district that as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, restrictions will be enforced on the entry of media persons inside the polling stations on polling day and counting centres on counting day.
Only those media persons authorized by the ECI in the form of a letter of authority would be allowed enter and cover subjects in order to maintain secrecy during the polls.
The notice also read that all names of representatives and media persons desiring such letter of authority by the ECI would be proposed by the DEO in consultation with the District Public Relations Officer. The DEO has also requested the DPRO to identify names of local representatives, editors with photographers to be recommended to the Chief Electoral Officer for such issuance.
Meanwhile some of the district officers have failed to submit names of employees to the DEO for appointment as polling officials. The DEO has also sent officials to every office to verify and check the names of the officials from the attendance registers maintained by every office. The DEO said that many officials are yet to submit their names for election duty.
The DEO has instructed every office to send the names latest by February 5, failing which legal action would be initiated in accordance to Sec 186 and 187 of the IPC.