Dhar says will support relative if ticket is given

SHILLONG: Power Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said on Wednesday his brother-in-law will contest against Jowai MLA Roytre C. Laloo and he will support his relative. But he denied allegations of anti-party activities.
Dhar, who might lose his Cabinet post for going against the party and flagging his candidate from the deputy chief minister’s constituency, said Wailad Shylla, his brother-in-law, is in the Congress for the past nine years.
Shylla is a ticket aspirant from Jowai, the minister said.
Denying the allegations of the Jowai Block Congress, Dhar said villagers of Mukhla, and not him, have projected Shylla as the candidate and “it so happens that he is my brother-in-law.”
Pointing out that the official list of candidates is not out and everyone has the right to seek ticket, Dhar said he would push for his brother-in-law to get nominated.
Dhar said the Congress distributes tickets to candidates with winnability factor and there were instances in the past where sitting MLAs did not get ticket.
In 2013, the minister’s brother, Ngaitlang Dhar, was given ticket from Umroi instead of sitting MLA Stanlywiss Rymbai.