By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Senior UDP leader JA Lyngdoh has claimed that Congress candidate from Sohiong and Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh had pleaded with him to convince UDP candidate from Sohiong Braston Kharphuli not to contest the February 23 polls in the State.
“Pyrshang seh kynum ban pynshong noh ia u Bah Braston. Lada phi lah ngan ai katba phi kwah (Please my brother-in-law try not to put Braston into the fray. If you can do this I can give you whatever you want),” Lyngdoh said, quoting HDR’s plea to him, during a public rally in support of Kharphuli at Rangshken near Sohiong on Saturday.
He also stated that he had told the Sohiong candidate: “Map ia nga kynum Don ngam lah (sorry my brother-in-law I cannot do this)”.
Speaking at the rally, Kharphuli said it is time for the people of the constituency to make the sitting Congress legislator retire for good.
While denying that he has already accepted his defeat, as was being claimed by HDR, Kharphuli said the claim was misleading.
“It was the sitting legislator who had told me that he was willing to work together if he is defeated. It was the Sohiong Congress candidate who had accepted his defeat,” Kharphuli said.
Denying that four political parties had convinced him to contest the election, Kharphuli said that he had always wanted to work for the overall interest of the people of the constituency. It may be mentioned that the UDP candidate is being endorsed by the LJP, NCP and KHNAM.
Meanwhile, former Sohiong legislator and UDP leader RA Lyngdoh said the constituency needs a new MLA who can bring about development.
“We need to put an end to the 20 years of misrule of the sitting Congress legislator,” Lyngdoh added.