SHILLONG: Hadrian Lyngdoh, the PDF MDC who is running for the post of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council chairman, said on Monday a miracle may happen during the election on Tuesday and he might get the mandate.
Lyngdoh, who is representing the People’s Democratic Alliance, and UDP MDC Teinwell Dkhar of the Khasi Hills Democratic Alliance filed their nomination papers on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after filing the nomination, Lyngdoh said, “We have made up our mind and we will not withdraw. We have filed our nomination today. Our numbers are also sufficient. There are 12 of us and we believe miracles will happen tomorrow, 12 might change to 21.”
PDA members constitute of PDF and Congress MDCs who abstained from voting during the election to the post of CEM and deputy chairman.
Calling KHADC chief executive member HS Shylla “Judas”, Lyngdoh recalled the time when 12 MDCs joined the PDF but was reduced to 11 when Shylla left PDF for NPP.
“I believe the three MDCs of PDF (James Sylliang, Blandingstar Warjri and Latiplang Kharkongor) will not turn out to be like Judas,” he said.
Asked if the PDA would withdraw its candidate like in the other crucial elections, PDF parliamentary party leader James Ban Basaiawmoit said, “As we have filed, we will go ahead and face the elections.”
On withdrawing the candidature for the post of deputy chairman, he added they had a review meeting of the party in which it was suggested that the nomination should be withdrawn as the matter is still pending in the court.
“However, on the post of chairman, we have consulted legal experts and they suggested that nomination can be filed to the post of chairman,” he added.
The PDF leaders hoped that the three rebel MDCs – Sylliang, Warjri and Kharkongor would extend their support to the PDA’s candidature.
The Khasi Hills Democratic Alliance has 16 MDCs, five UDP, 4 NPP, an Independent and three each of HSPDP and PDF, Shylla said.
He did not have talks with KHNAM’s Adelbert Nongrum yet on the matter.
“As of now the strength remains the same, 16+1,” he said adding that the KHDA MDCs were not being approached by the opposition and he is hopeful that none of the MDCs would jump to the PDA camp.
With PDA not participating in the earlier two elections, Shylla expected that due process of voting would be carried out for the post of chairman and that the PDA would not withdraw their candidature.
“It is unpleasant to see them withdraw and it is also unpleasant to see them not attending the session. For the election on Tuesday, we expect to see voting for the post of Chairman. We expect they would not withdraw but there should be voting,” Shylla said.
Pointing to the Congress support extended to PDF candidate, he said it is not in line with the PDF which is supporting the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, which is against the Congress.
