SHILLONG: Ending all speculations, the People’s Candidate Forum (PCF) has decided to field Rev PBM Basaiawmoit from Shillong Parliamentary seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Announcing this here on Monday, PCF general secretary JT Lamare said “He (Rev Basaiawmoit) has accepted our request (to be our candidate) during a meeting held on December 30.”
Lamare informed that the decision has been communicated to the UDP-led steering committee of the non-Congress forces, which had earlier requested PCF to extend support to the candidate to be fielded by UDP instead of putting up its own candidate.
“We have decided to stick to our earlier stand and would like to request all regional parties to support the candidature of Rev Basaiawmoit,” the PCF general secretary said.
Meanwhile, UDP, while requesting PCF to reconsider its decision to field Rev Basaiawmoit, has urged the Forum to extend support to UDP candidate Paul Lyngdoh.
In a letter to the PCF chairman, UDP campaign committee secretary A F Dkhar said on Monday, “We urge the PCF to reconsider its decision. We are ready to hold a meeting if the PCF wants to discuss the request made by us.”
The UDP has managed to garner support from most of the non-Congress political parties namely National People’s Party (NPP), Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM).
PCF has the support of only the Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP)
On fielding Lyngdoh as the common candidate of the non-Congress parties, Dkhar said though all the parties (except PCF) have agreed to support the UDP, but the steering committee (consisting of four political parties) has not made any official announcement yet.
Dkhar said the steering committee will first sit before making the official announcement.
Agatha NPP candidate from Tura
SHILLONG: NPP will field sitting Tura MP Agatha Sangma as the party candidate to contest the Tura seat, NPP leader James Sangma said on Monday.
There were reports in the past that NPP is undecided on naming the candidate to contest Tura seat as speculation was rife that either PA Sangma or Conrad Sangma may contest from the seat.
“Agatha is the sitting MP and she will be given the ticket just the way Vincent Pala of Congress is,” Sangma said.
There are indications that Agatha will resign from NCP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to contest from NPP.
The NPP legislator said that the party would work hard to retain the Tura seat.
In the last year’s Assembly elections, out of the 32 seats contested, NPP could bag only two seats.
Besides James Sangma, Nihim D Shira is the other party legislator.
Congress is planning to field Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma’s brother and Cabinet minister Zenith Sangma from Tura.