SHILLONG: Absence of anti-defection law in the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) has prevented the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from contesting the ADC polls in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) will go to polls on February 27.
State president of NCP, Saleng Sangma told reporters, “The anti-defection law is not there yet. There is horse-trading every now and then. At one point of time, there is one EC (Executive Committee) and then after some time, there is another EC.”
He added there has been no response from the NCP’s Delhi high command about putting up candidates in the Council elections.
However, the NCP legislator did not rule out prospects of contesting the Council polls in the future.
Speaking about the Lok Sabha polls, Sangma said talks were on with national leaders.
With regard to common candidate, he said the party had not spoken to MDA partners. He said, “The common candidate is not decided yet.”
Two parties that are not contesting the Council polls are the BJP and the NCP. While the NCP has a lone legislator in the Assembly, the BJP has two MLAs – AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai.
In the backdrop of opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the state BJP decided not to field candidates for Council Polls.
However, BJP Minister, AL Hek recently told reporters that winning candidates will be baptized in the saffron party.