Political parties going slow on KHADC by-election, 2018 Assembly polls

SHILLONG: Political parties in the State, except for KHNAM, have not shown any urgency in gearing up for the KHADC by-elections and the Assembly polls slated for 2018.
While the KHNAM has already invited applications from youths of the State to be part of its election committee, other political parties are taking it easy.
When contacted, UDP working president Bindo Lanong said inviting applications for the elections is an ongoing process.
He stated that usually the party’s grassroots units recommend the names of the candidates which are then scrutinized by the party leadership.
“Only in those cases where we don’t have party units, we get candidates from the ‘open market’,” he said.
Senior NPP leader Conrad Sangma also said that the party has not decided anything with regards to the    KHADC by-elections for the seven vacant seats.
“We will be calling a meeting soon in this regard,” he said, while adding that 2018 elections were still quite far and the party will make necessary strategies at the opportune time.
The BJP said that they were waiting for the nod of the party’s high command on contesting the KHADC by-elections.
The party, meanwhile, held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the twin issues of the KHADC by-elections as well as the 2018 Assembly polls.
The ruling Congress, incidentally, is yet to make any move as far as the KHADC by-polls are concerned.
A senior Congress leader said they have not initiated any steps aimed at the 2018 elections and the process of selecting candidates will begin only by mid 2017.