Cong will retain Shillong: Prestone

SHILLONG: Despite the uneasiness within the Congress over the sudden appearance of Ronnie V Lyngdoh as a ticket seeker for Shillong parliamentary constituency, the party on Thursday asserted that it would retain the seat.
Initially, after the Congress had called for applications for Shillong Lok Sabha seat, there were only three ticket aspirants — sitting MP Vincent Pala, Congress leaders Charles Pyngrope and John Kharshiing. Former Rajya Sabha MP OL Nongtdu, who was another applicant, opted out due to ill health.
However, in a sudden development after the recent meeting of the AICC secretary in charge Meghalaya  Dr Vijaylaxmi Sadho with the party leaders in Shillong, the  name of  legislator Ronnie Lyngdoh surfaced.
Senior Congress leader Prestone Tynsong told reporters on Thursday that more applications were called since the AICC had not put any restriction as far as filing of application is concerned. He also said that the intention is to check the winnability of the candidate so that the Congress can retain the Shillong seat.
Tynsong was also invited to participate in the party’s Election Committee meeting on Thursday evening  which examined the names of the Congress ticket aspirants.