SHILLONG: Campaigning for the elections to the Shillong and Tura parliamentary seats ends on Monday at 5 pm with the candidates making the best of the final hours to reach out to the voters.
In a contrast of sorts, Shillong is set to witness a multi-cornered contest, while Tura will witness a straight fight.
The penultimate day of campaigning, being a Sunday, witnessed tepid activities with candidates resorting to door-to-door visits.
Some candidates resorted to SMS campaigns on Sunday to reach out to the voters.
One such message read: “Vote for Paul Lyngdoh, Vote for a new beginning”.
Street corner meetings have been planned by several candidates on the last day of the campaign on Monday.
The Election Commission’s March 5 announcement of the election dates left the political parties and the candidates in the State with little time to cover 36 Assembly constituencies in Khasi-Jaintia Hills and 24 constituencies in Garo Hills within April 7. The inclement weather over the last few days has also dampened the campaign spirit.
Moreover, the Budget session of the Assembly was still on when the Election Commission of India announced the poll dates.
Incidentally, no law and order problem was encountered during the process of electioneering due to its low-key nature.
State Chief Electoral Officer P Naik said only a few complaints were received during the campaigns.
The Election department has planned a series of programmes at Khyndailad on Monday evening to woo the voters to the polling booths to register their votes in large numbers.
There are eight candidates vying for the Shillong seat including sitting MP Vincent H Pala (Congress), Paul Lyngdoh (UDP), Shibun Lyngdoh (BJP), Amerington Kharshiing (AAP), Richard Shabong (CPI) and Independents Rev. PBM Basaiawmoit, Denis Siangshai and Ivoryna Shylla.
In Tura, NPP candidate Purno A Sangma will take on Daryl William Cheran Momin from the Congress.
