Assembly polls 2018
SHILLONG: Two national political parties, who are principal opponent have adopted different strategies in preparing themselves two years ahead of the Assembly polls to be held in 2018.
While the Congress retained DD Lapang as the president of the party, and also working president (Deborah Marak ) and the treasurer (Shillong MP Vincent Pala), the BJP eyeing significant gains for the 20018 polls, has replaced the president with a young leader Shibun Lyngdoh.
While there was resentment among a section of the party workers against the appointment of Lyngdoh as new president of the party, the protest has now subsided thanks to the intervention of the central BJP leaders, who asked the state leaders who were affected to work for the unity of the party and assured them more responsibilities in the days to come.
The BJP which had better vote share in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, will try all means to get more Assembly seats in the next elections.
Recently, the newly elected state BJP president said that his priority will be to strengthen the party from the grass root level to ensure better performance in the Assembly polls.
A dissident party leader who does not want to see disunity in the party said that forgetting the differences, they will work for the better performance of the party in the Assembly polls.
After the BJP secured a seat in the GHADC polls, the party is hoping to get more Assembly seats in the state.
Earlier, Shibun Lyngdoh of BJP who contested the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 stood first in the urban constituencies of North Shillong (5165 votes) West Shillong (6591) South Shillong (10534) and Pynthorumkhrah(6984) securing an overall vote share of 15. 48 per cent.
As far as retaining Lapang and others are concerned, a Congress party source said that it remains to be seen whether retaining the same leaders in MPCC will pay the dividends.
The source admitted that the party now is a divided house as several issues plaguing the party is yet to be addressed by the state party president and the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
Sources said that the dual post issue among others has exposed division in the Congress in the absence of a strong MPCC.
Sources added that neither Lapang nor the AICC general secretary in charge Meghalaya V. Narayanasamy could address the differences between the Chief Minister and Chief Executive Member over the issue of dual post Bill which has been lingering for the last four months.
A party leader said that the state party leadership should solve the differences within the party at the earliest to save the party from any split and reminded the situation in Assam where many Congress MLAs had joined the BJP.