By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 26: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has finalised the name of Hasina Yasmin Mondol, widow of Rajabala Congress MLA, Dr Azad Zaman, as the party candidate for the upcoming bypoll to the vacant seat.
A Congress source informed that family members of the former legislator have given their consent to the party to field Hasina from the Rajabala seat.
The Congress, which had bagged 21 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections, has lost three sitting legislators since then including Clement R Marak (Selsella), David Nongrum (Mawryngkneng) and Dr Azad Zaman (Rajabala).
With the death of the three Congress legislators, the party’s strength in the Assembly has been reduced to 17.
Former Congress leader Martin M Danggo had vacated the Ranikor seat after resigning from the party to join the NPP. In the ensuing by-election, Pius Marwein of the UDP defeated Danggo to bag the seat.