JOWAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a quandary over selection of candidates in Jowai and Khlehriat.
There are multiple ticket aspirants in the constituencies.
In Jowai, former MLA Sing Mulieh and his nephew, JHADC member Marki Mulieh, are contenders.
Both the Muliehs, who had won their respective elections on UDP ticket, have joined BJP.
While senior Mulieh is the National Scheduled Tribe Executive Member of the saffron party, his nephew is the party president in West Jaintia Hills.
In Khliehriat, there are three aspirants who have declared to contest the 2018 elections. Violet Lyngdoh, JHADC MDC, who joined BJP after leaving UDP, is one of them.
The other two are Independent MLA Justine Dkhar and Kyrmen Shylla, son of former MDC Kor Sympli.
East Jaintia Hills has two Assembly constituencies. The district has been badly affected by the ban on coal mining since 2014 with an expectation that the Congress-led government will help restore the mining activities.
NPP is playing a big role in both East and West Jaintia Hills where as BJP seems to go nil in both the districts.
“We expect NPP will win more seats than any other party in East Jaintia Hills,” a source said.
Voters in Khliehriat have decided not to vote for the Congress due to the NGT ban on mining. They have alleged that the Congress under the leadership of Mukul Sangma has done nothing to lift the ban.
“We have decided to vote either for BJP or NPP but not for the Congress,” said a villager from Rymbai.
