Cong to deny tickets to many legislators

SHILLONG: Many Congress legislators will not be allotted party tickets for the 2018 polls as the party may opt for new faces.
This, however, will further weaken the Congress, which is facing exodus of its legislators to other political parties, especially NPP.
Recently, after a meeting with AICC leader CP Joshi in Shillong, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said not all party legislators will get tickets to contest the polls as winnability will be the deciding factor.
Party sources said on Tuesday that this stand may deter many Congress legislators from seeking tickets to contest the polls.
When contacted, MPCC general secretary Sanjay Das said that denial of party tickets to sitting legislators is nothing new.
“We had in the past denied party tickets to Congress MLAs Saleng Sangma, Samuel Sangma and Stanly Wiss Rymbai,” he said.
However, the calculation of the party went wrong since Saleng and Samuel contested as Independents and won their respective seats in 2013.
According to party sources, the situation is different from 2013 as there is more anti-incumbency against the Congress-led government all over the seat currently coupled with people’s dislike of the Congress regime.