GUWAHATI: North Shillong MLA from Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), Adelbert Nongrum has claimed that the confusion regarding the legitimacy of the candidates fielded by him has been cleared and that all of them would be contesting the February 27 district council elections as KHNAM candidates.
The claim comes amid counter claims by rival faction led by Pyndapborthiaw Saibon in regard to ownership of the party.
Saibon has fielded three candidates as Independents, in a bid to avoid any controversy, even as there was a tussle for the party symbol (dao) between his candidate, Thomas Passah and Strong Pillar Kharjana, the candidate fielded by Nongrum representing Jaiaw constituency, on Saturday.
“I fail to understand how the higher authority in the state rushed to a conclusion on Friday, the last day of filing nominations that the KHNAM candidates could not contest the poll. However, the matter has been settled. All the eight I had fielded will be contesting as KHNAM candidates,” Nongrum, who claims to be president of KHNAM as approved by the Election Commission of India, told The Shillong Times on Saturday. The ECI had on Thursday sent a letter to Saibon, who also is president of KHNAM, advising the party to resolve the “dispute within the party either amicably or else by the orders of a competent court.”
“However Saibon had gone to Delhi to lodge a complaint with ECI against the newly formed body (headed by Nongrum). At the same time he has fielded three candidates as Independents,” Nongrum said.
The district council elections, according to sources, are not governed by ECI guidelines unlike Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. The commissioner and secretary, district council affairs department, however could not be contacted, for clarity on the matter.
“The letter by ECI is not a direction but a mere letter advising him (Saibon) to solve the matter within the party amicably or through order of a competent court,” Nongrum said.
The confusion regarding the party symbol, he added, will also be settled soon. “How can an Independent candidate have the symbol of a registered unrecognised party? There must be some classification here. This was discussed with the authorities,” Nongrum said.
KHNAM, formed in 2002 as a movement for change, has just Nongrum as the lone MLA from the party.
Asked about the ECI letter, Saibon said he would discuss the matter with Nongrum but at the same time doubted whether the latter would “accept any proposal for an amicable solution.” He however said the nomination of the third candidate (for Nongthymmai) has been rejected.
