SHILLONG, Feb 3: With the MDC elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) nearing, political parties have been at daggers drawn over forming the executive committee in the Council.
The State BJP, on Wednesday, while spurning the National People’s Party (NPP) for allegedly depriving the employees of GHADC of three years’ salary besides other irregularities, claimed that if given a chance, the party would transform and bring transparency in the District Council.
“We want to form our own Executive Committee (EC) in the GHADC. So many irregularities have taken place and the employees have not received salaries for three years. The EC was ruled by the NPP,” said State BJP President Ernest Mawrie.
Contending that only the BJP can bring a change with the Garo Hills’ support, Mawrie said, “I appeal to the people of Garo Hills to give us a chance this time and we will transform and bring transparency so that the corruption is waved out”.
Talking about the GHADC poll preparedness, Mawrie said that they have asked for applications and even extended the dates.
“I will take a tour of the Garo Hills and as per the first phase, decide on the 50 per cent seat; the rest will take some more time,” he informed.
He said that till date, the party has its own members applying for the tickets; however, in some constituencies they have multiple applicants.
“Since the date was announced, we have been preparing and it is going on in full swing,” he said.
He said that for the BJP all the elections are important whether local or general and the party is working hard towards achieving the goals.
The Meghalaya government had recently decided to hold the GHADC elections on April 9.
The Council’s five-year term expired on October 18 last year, but the state government decided to defer the polls in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and put the House under the Administrator’s Rule.
Polling would be held on April 9 from 7 am to 4 pm. The counting of votes will take place on April 14.