Conrad scared to contest from Ampati: Dev

SHILLONG: Sushmita Dev, the Chief of All India Mahila Congress, has questioned Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for not contesting the upcoming Ampati by-poll on May 28.
Speaking to The Shillong Times over the phone from Ampati, Dev claimed that Sangma is not contesting “simply because he is scared of fighting the election”.
Stating that Sangma is not confident about his leadership, the president of Mahila Congress said Sangma would again contest by-election after few months, “which will cost the state lot of money and manpower”.
“If he thinks he has the moral right to form the government (he) should have had contested Ampati election,” she said.
Maintaining that Congress’s Miani D Shira will win the elections, Dev said Mukul Sangma, despite being not in the government, has shown his confidence and fielded his daughter in the election.
People in Ampati are not attending the meetings of the chief minister, who is roaming in the constituency with 50-60 vehicles full of NPP supporters and they are attending his meetings, Dev claimed, adding, “People in Ampati consider Mukul Sangma as their family member.”
She said Conrad is not scared of Mukul but of the people of Ampati.
The campaigning for the Ampati Bye poll has intensified in the last few weeks as top leaders of both ruling and Opposition are making a beeline to the constituency to campaign for their respective candidates.