SHILLONG: The tussle over KHNAM’s candidates for the district council election in 2019 continues with the party’s central executive committee deciding not to change its decision and MLA Adelbert Nongrum refusing to budge.
The central body meeting held last week agreed that Thomas Passah and Rocky Hek will be the party’s KHADC poll candidates from Jaiaw and Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah, respectively. Nongrum had objected to the two names and had demanded Saibon’s resignation. The meeting also decided to support its president Pyndap Saibon.
In a statement issued here, KHNAM general secretary Freewelson Marpna said the party had sent a letter to Nongrum on July 23 in which the CEC had explained on the decision to field the two candidates and also urged him to reconsider his decision to step down as the working president of the party. “We are still waiting for his withdrawal letter,” he said. Nongrum had stepped down as the working president of KHNAM.
Marpna urged Nongrum to work and support the party candidates, he said, “The topic on suspension or expulsion does not arise. The regional political has only one MLA and we respect that.”
However, Nongrum has decided to stand by Glenbert Khongwir as candidate from Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah while he is on the lookout for a suitable candidate for Jaiaw constituency.
“There was no fairness. The CEC has gone against the will of the units which raise some suspicions. I thought the selection of candidates would be in all fairness without any favouritism,” he said.
Asked, he said till date the KHNAM has not accepted his resignation letter. “It has been over two months that I have stepped down from the post of working president. They have not accepted my resignation as yet.”
