BJP to consult New Delhi on Shillong seat

SHILLONG: A day after the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) left it to the BJP to take its call on contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Shillong, the BJP has said that it will discuss the matter with the party high command.
BJP MLA AL Hek while reiterating that the BJP should contest the elections, added that the matter of fielding a candidate would be discussed with the central leadership.
“We are a national party and this is a national election, so how can we not contest the elections,” Hek said.
The MDA was initially planning for a common candidate to be fielded from Shillong as well as Tura seat and there are indications that BJP will set up a candidate for Shillong seat even as Regional Democratic Alliance comprising UDP and HSPDP has selected two common candidates from both the parties and a final call will be taken by the MDA during its meeting likely to be held later this month.
UDP has projected its former MLA Jemino Mawthoh as the common candidate while HSPDP has proposed the name of its Mawkyrwat legislator Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar.
The PDF, which is also a partner in the alliance with four MLAs, says that some individuals have approached the party to contest the Lok Sabha elections as its common candidate and the newly floated party would present its candidate before the MDA.
Meanwhile, sources also said that the BJP is in talk with some prominent leaders of the state and is trying to persuade them to contest the election as a BJP candidate from Shillong.