‘Yet to decide on contesting Lok Sabha elections’
the city on Friday. (ST)
SHILLONG: Rev. PBM Basaiawmoit, whose name is being proposed as a candidate of the People’s Candidate Forum (PCF) for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, on Friday said he was yet to take a final call on contesting from the Shillong Parliamentary seat.
“It is true that I have received an offer from the PCF to contest the election. But this time I do not want to rush like in the last election. Unless I am convinced I would not make any announcement of contesting the elections,” Rev. Basaiawmoit said while indicated that he would come to a final decision within the next few weeks.
He, however, informed that since March he has been visiting six districts of the State to gain first-hand knowledge on the expectation of the people with regards to the candidate who would contest from the Shillong seat.
“Wherever I have gone I have received an overwhelming response from the people, many of whom have encouraged me to contest again,” Rev. Basaiawmoit said.
“I am of the opinion that this time the MP whom we will elect from the Shillong Parliamentary seat should not belong to any party. The MP should be the candidate of the people. I totally disagree with the ongoing practice that an MP should belong to a political party,” he said, while pointing out that with this principle in mind, the PCF has approached several political parties and requested them not to put up any candidate for the Shillong seat and instead support the PCF candidate.
“Two political parties – KHNAM and HSPDP – have agreed to support the PCF candidate. We have got official letters from both the parties,” he informed.
Asked about the reported division in the HSPDP over support to him, Rev. Basaiawmoit said he would not like to comment on the internal matters of the HSPDP.
“We have a letter signed by HSPDP general secretary Enbin K Raswai assuring their support the PCF candidate,” Rev. Basaiawmoit said.
On the HSPDP president Hoping Stone Lyngdoh’s refusal to support his candidature, Rev. Basaiawmoit said, “The question of contesting from the HSPDP does not arise. I no longer belong to the HSPDP as I had quit the party in 2011.”
Meanwhile, PCF general secretary Joannes Lamare said the forum was still waiting for Rev. Basaiawmoit approval to contest the Lok Sabha polls.
Asked if they an alternative candidate in mind if Rev. Basaiawmoit decides not to join the fray, Lamare said, “If such a situation arises, the forum will decide on its future course of action.”
It may be reminded that non-Congress political parties including the UDP, BJP, KHNAM and NPP have recently formed a steering committee to discuss the possibilities of putting up a consensus candidate for the Shillong Parliamentary seat.
It may also be noted that the UDP has already proposed the name of its legislator Paul Lyngdoh to contest the Lok Sabha election.