SHILLONG: It is an awakening time for the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) with the win of its leader Adelbert Nongrum after its ‘dissolution’ by then party president Paul Lyngdoh in 2011.
Lyngdoh, a former president of KSU, formed KHNAM in 2002.
Though KHNAM under the leadership of Lyngdoh merged with UDP before the 2013 Assembly polls, a section of its leaders, like Nongrum and its former general secretary Pyndapborthiaw Saiborne, fought against the merger and remained with KHNAM.
Later, the Election Commission of India allowed KHNAM to be retained as a political party.
In 2013, KHNAM could not win a single Assembly seat though it won several seats in the 2014 district council polls.
After a hiatus, the party in the just concluded Assembly polls, secured one seat after its leader Nongrum won from North Shillong.
Nongrum said it is a revival time for KHNAM that was written off by its critics.
Buoyed by the victory, KHNAM is planning to put up many candidates for the district council polls in 2019.
