SHILLONG: Standby candidate of Congress, Kennedy Khyriem and CPI candidate, Justice Kharbasanti withdrew their nominations on Thursday, the last date for withdrawal of nominations for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections from Shillong Parliamentary Constituency.
Chief Electoral Officer, FR Kharkongor confirmed that two candidate had withdrawn their nominations and now 6 candidates stand as validly nominated from Shillong seat.
There are six candidates in the fray for the Shillong seat. They include the sitting MP Vincent H Pala for Congress, Jemino Mawthoh of United Democratic Party (UDP), who is also a common candidate of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), Sanbor Shullai of the BJP, and independent candidates Romeo Phira Ranee, THS Booney and Samuel Hashah.
In addition, THS Bonney who had filed his nomination as KHNAM candidate would now have to contest the elections as an Independent candidate with an independent symbol after the president of the KHNAM had submitted before the EC that the party was not fielding any vandidate from Shillong Parliamentary Constituency.
Meanwhile, there was no withdrawal of nominations from Tura seat which is heading for a three-cornered electoral battle among Congress, BJP and UDP.
Former Chief Minister Dr Mukul M Sangma of Congress will contest against National People’s Party’s candidate and former Union Minister Agatha A Sangma and BJP candidate Rikman G Momin.
Kharkongor also informed that there would be five general observers for Shillong seat while there will be three for Tura seat
One police observer has also been deployed for both Shillong and Tura seat besides two expenditure observers each for the two Parliamentary Constituencies have also been deployed.
It may be mentioned that the last date of filing nominations for Meghalaya was March 25 while scrutiny of nominations was done March 26. Both the parliamentary seats will go for polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election on April 11.
