Resentment in Cong over choice of Shella candidate

SHILLONG: The selection of Batyngshain Laitmon Ryngnga as Congress nominee for the Shella Assembly seat has not gone down well with a section within the party.
The bypoll to the seat will be held on October 21.
Sources informed that the MPCC had sent a team to Shella to assess the political situation in the constituency.
The team was of the view that former bureaucrat Wilfred Khyllep was the best choice for the Congress with Nongshken MDC Grace Mary Kharpuri a close second.
However, to their surprise, the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Election Committee recommended Batyngshain Laitmon Ryngnga.
Some MLAs are said to be so dejected with the decision of the party that they have decided to keep themselves out of the campaigning.
Wilfred Khyllep has also been asked to help the party in every aspect.
The sources, however, said that the contest will be tough and none could claim to have an edge.
The seat fell vacant due to the death of sitting MLA and former Speaker Dr Donkupar Roy.
Six in fray
All the six candidates for the bypoll have been found to be eligible after scrutiny of their nomination papers on Tuesday.
Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said all was now set for campaigning to begin, adding that a company of Central Armed Parliamentary Force (CAPF) has already been deployed in the constituency.
Eight static surveillance teams and three flying squads are also in place.
The six candidates in the fray are BJP’s Joshua Warjri, Congress’s Batyngshain Laitmon Ryngnga, People’s Democratic Front’s Mosjo Rockfeller Wanswett, independent Grace Mary Kharpuri, United Democratic Party’s Balajiedkupar Synrem, who is the son of the late Speaker, and another Independent Komen Laitmon.