Ronnie to join ticket race today
SHILLONG: The Megh-alaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has decided to extend the date for receipt of applications from the aspiring candidates for Shillong Parliamentary seat till 4 pm of February 6.
The decision to this effect was taken during a meeting held at MPCC chief DD Lapang’s residence here on Monday.
“The decision to extend was taken since AICC has not fixed the deadline for the submission of the applications for the State of Meghalaya,” MPCC media secretary Szarita Laitphlang said.
The party insiders said that the MPCC extended the time to allow Mylliem legislator Ronnie V Lyngdoh to apply for the party ticket.
“He (Lyngdoh) is yet to submit the application. He is likely to submit the form on Tuesday,” inside sources said.
The emergence of Lyngdoh has given a twist to the race for the party ticket for the Shillong Parliamentary seat.
Inside sources indicated that entry of the Mylliem legislator in the race for the party ticket has dimmed the prospect of sitting MP Vincent H Pala getting Congress ticket.
According to sources, the MPCC Election Committee would complete its task of screening the documents and details of all the ticket aspirants by Tuesday before forwarding the list to the AICC screening committee of which the MPCC president and the Chief Minister are members.
Earlier, only three aspirants – sitting Congress MP Vincent H. Pala, former Speaker Charles Pyngrope and John F. Kharshiing – were vying for Congress ticket for Shillong.
As rift is now imminent within Congress on the issue, controversy also dogs the top Congress leaders in the state over the sudden appearance of Lyngdoh’s name.
Lyngdoh’s name figured only this week, that too after the Congress high command had already taken the opinion from the party legislators and leaders on the three aspirants for the Shillong seat and eight aspirants for the Tura seat.