By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: North Shillong constituency is also heading for a straight contest between KHNAM candidate Adelbert Nongrum and Congress candidate Roshan Warjri.
Even though there are a total of four candidates contesting from the constituency in this election, the focus of the contest is on Nongrum and Warjri.
The other candidates from North Shillong are UDP candidate Ibanrilin Kharsati and NPP candidate Dr PM Passah.
Nongrum is expected to have an edge in certain areas of the constituency due to the emerging wave against the Congress candidate.
As per the survey, it was found that many of Warjri supporters from Wahingdoh and Mawkhar are not very happy with her decision to take a break from politics without consulting them.
It may be mention that Warjri (then UDP legislator) had taken a break from politics by not contesting the Assembly election in 2003 and 2008.
It is reported that Warjri’s decision not to contest the previous two elections was to pave way former MPCC president and Mawkhar sitting legislator Friday Lyngdoh.
It was also informed that Warjri had some kind of agreement with Lyngdoh that she would be given the chance to contest from the Congress once the former MPCC president retires from politics.
Meanwhile, question is also being raised on the decision of Warjri to leave the UDP. The Congress candidate has come from a family which has always been a strong supporter of the regional parties. Warjri’s husband, late Korbar Sing was elected as an MLA in 1988 on the former Hill People’s Union (HPU) ticket.
After the demise of her late husband, Warjri was also elected on the regional party ticket in 1993 and 1998 Assembly elections.
Despite these various factors, Warjri still enjoys the support majority of the women voters in the constituency. The Congress also manages to hold certain pockets of Mawkhar and Wahingdoh which are always her stronghold.
It was also found that Nongrum is popular among the young voters in the constituency. It has been seen there is a huge enthusiasm among the young voters in various parts of the constituency to campaign in favour of the KHNAM candidate.
In the various localities under Jaiaw, both Warjri and Nongrum have managed to garner equal support. It is difficult to assess who is having an edge since the election fever in Jaiaw has not picked up like in other areas of the constituency.
It is found that Nongrum might be slightly ahead in Lawmali which is also a new area which has come into the delimited constituency. It is found that the people of the constituency are favouring to support the KHNAM candidate on account of his ‘clean image’.
It is estimated that the constituency is having a total number of 8000 plus non-tribal votes which would play a crucial factor to decide on the fate of the four candidates.
As per the estimate, there are strong possibilities that major chunk of the non-tribal votes would vote in favour of the Congress candidate being the only one to contest from a national party.
The BJP has decided not to put up any candidate despite having a very strong vote banks in areas like Oakland, Police Bazaar and Jail Road. This decision of the BJP might help the Congress candidate.
It is reported that the State BJP had issued a directive to its party supporters not to vote in favour of the Congress candidate. It would be interesting to see whether the party supporters would abide by the party directive.
As per the survey, it is found that there is a large chunk of anti-Congress votes even among the non-tribals voters.
This anti-Congress vote is expected to go either in favour of the KHNAM or the UDP candidate. The votes of 11930 male voters and 12478 female voters in North Shillong constituency will eventually decide who is going to win after the counting on February 28.
The ‘election-aware’ segment of people are keeping a close watch on the manifestoes and analysing the individual candidate’s track record while a majority are still swaying to the seemingly influential campaign speeches.