TURA: Sitting Independent legislator from South Tura constituency, John Leslee K Sangma, is expected to be the party candidate of Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for the upcoming elections early next year.
While the Tura MLA has not officially announced his party affiliation, yet, he was conspicuous with his presence at the NCP conference in Tura on Saturday last.
John Leslee K Sangma was one of the ‘VIP’ guests seated on the podium at the district auditorium during the NCP conference.
The sitting legislator who contested and won as an Independent candidate in the 2013 elections is seeking a second term.
He will be facing as many as seven other candidates in the election including his nearest opponent from the last election, Billykid A Sangma.
John Leslee won the election with the narrowest of margins edging past Billkykid by 18 votes after the final votes had been counted in 2013.
Former legislator Billykid Sangma has been keeping his political cards close to his chest. Although he has already swung into campaign mode he has not officially declared which party he will be seeking a ticket from.
While supporters of Billykid claim he will fight the polls as an Independent, there are indications he could be the NPP candidate should former Union Minister, Agatha K Sangma decide against contesting.
However, national president of the NPP and Tura Lok Sabha MP Conrad K Sangma told The Shillong Times on Thursday that nothing official on ticket allocation had been finalized till date.
When queried about the possibility of Agatha Sangma giving way for Billykid for the South Tura seat, the Tura MP put the controversy to rest by stating, “Agatha is the probable candidate as she is the only one who has applied for the party ticket.”
The South Tura constituency already has the UDP’s Pallab Arengh in the fray alongside three other Independents and a possible BJP candidate.