SHILLONG: The treasurer of the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), Mehioroy Suting, said on Friday there is no leadership problem in the party and blamed North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum for the squabble.
Speaking to a section of the media on Friday, Suting said Nongrum wanted to contest the MDC election from Jaiaw taking advantage of his status as an MLA.
KHNAM has already announced the vice-president of the party who is also the president of the youth wing, Thomas Passah, as its candidate from Jaiaw.
“He (Nongrum) said any candidate will win if he campaigns for that candidate which shows that he won without any supporters,” he said.
Suting asserted that Pyndapborthiaw Saibon is still the president of KHNAM who was elected at the general convention held in 2017 and his term is not yet over.
“KHNAM is still led by Pyndap (Saibon). How can he (Nongrum) claim to lead the party when he has already resigned from the post of working president of the party,” he said.
Suting alleged that Nongrum duped people of his constituency by collecting EPICs and used the cards for filing an affidavit. “The constituents were unaware of this move as they thought he collected the voter cards for getting development schemes,” he added.
Suting said KHNAM is reposing faith in the wisdom of the Election Commission of India to deliver its decision with regard to the party leadership.
Rocky Hek to contest as independent
Meanwhile, KHNAM MDC candidate from Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah constituency Rocky Hek has decided to contest as an independent candidate following the ripples of discontentment in the party over leadership.
Stating that he is still a part of KHNAM and endorses the leadership of Saibon, he said, “I have decided to contest the election as an independent.”
He described his move as “by force and not by choice”.
The nephew of BJP Cabinet Minister AL Hek expressed concern at the current phase the regional party is going through.
As for his preparation for the upcoming council election, Rocky expressed confidence that he does not face any threat from the former KHADC chief executive member PN Syiem while his fight is with sitting MDC James Ban Basaiawmoit from the People’s Democratic Front.
