NEW DELHI, Sep 30: The Opposition Congress will hold the first meeting of its Pradesh Election Committee on Saturday to finalise the candidates for three Meghalaya Assembly seats, by-polls for which has been announced by the Election Commission on October 30.
Besides MPCC president Vincent H. Pala, all members of this committee including CLP leader Mukul Sangma and former MP Wansuk Syiem are expected to attend the meeting. Party insiders said the names of some probable candidates were shortlisted in anticipation of the by-polls earlier. A change of guard in the MPCC is expected to reflect in the new list of candidates.
Dr Sangma had skipped two meetings earlier but is likely to attend Saturday’s as Rajabala, one of the three seats, in Garo Hills was held by Congress. Pala would be leaving for Shillong after the meeting. The by-polls became necessary after the death of two Congress legislators – David Nongrum from Mawryngkneng and Azad Zaman from Rajabala – and an associate member of UDP, Syntar Klas Sunn from Mawphlang. The polling was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic earlier.
The by-polls to the three Assembly constituencies will be the first to be conducted in Meghalaya with adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines. There is only about a week for filing nominations and a fortnight for campaigning. The ruling NPP has already announced the names of two candidates and may field the third after Congress comes out with its list. Trinamool Congress is likely to make a debut in electoral politics in Meghalaya.
