Three-way contest likely in East Shillong
SHILLONG: With the surprise entry of former Congress MDC Neil Antonio War to the BJP, East Shillong (formerly Laitumkhrah) will witness a different contest in the 2018 Assembly polls.
Though more than a year is left for the Assembly elections, the political parties and their candidates have started making their calculations.
Sitting legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh from the Congress will face both UDP leader Bindo Lanong and War who is keen to contest the Assembly polls on a BJP ticket.
As per the current trend, a pre-poll alliance of non-Congress parties may not be possible in East Shillong constituency as both BJP and UDP will field separate candidates.
Former deputy CM Lanong, who was defeated by Ampareen in 2013, said on Sunday that by all means he would again contest the seat. Asked whether the contest will be mainly between three candidates Lanong said, “It will be multi-cornered as there will be more candidates in the fray apart from the three.”
As far as War is concerned, he made it clear after he joined the BJP on Saturday that if the party allots him a ticket, he is ready to take on the sitting legislator.
Congress sources believe that while Ampareen will be the main target of both UDP and BJP, the non-Congress parties fighting separately may become advantageous to her.
However, sources from both UDP and BJP indicated that concentration in certain pockets during election will benefit them, which will brighten their prospects.