SHILLONG: Both Congress and NPP have now shifted their attention to the forthcoming by-poll to Selsella Assemby constituency which fell vacant after the death of former MLA Clement Marak last year.
The Election Commission of India o far has not announced the date of by-poll and the seat has to be filled up before March this year. However, both the probable candidates of NPP and Congress have started their campaigning while the BJP is not sure if it will field a candidate at all.
It may be mentioned that the Congress is likely to field June Eliana R Marak, the widow of Clement Marak, as its candidate for the upcoming by-poll to Selsella LAC.
Marak on Wednesday said that the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) had cleared her name as the candidate and it has to be approved by the AICC president.
Stating that she has started campaigning for the by-polls, she added that the response of the people towards her is very positive and she is confident of winning the elections if the Congress high command approves her candidature.
She also said that her late husband has done a lot for the people of the constituency.
On the other hand, State president of NPP, WR Kharlukhi said that Ferlin C. A. Sangma is most likely to contest the bypoll once again from the party.
He,however, said that the party so far had not finalized the candidate for the by-poll.
Similarly, BJP leader AL Hek too reiterated that the party so far had not started its search for a candidate for Selsella by-poll and it was not yet known if the party would field a candidate there.
Selsella seat fell vacant after the death of MLA Clement Marak in October last year. By-poll to the constituency has to be held before March next year and parties have already started groundwork for the same.