TURA, Oct 6: The NPP candidate Abdus Saleh has filed his nomination papers for Rajabala by-election, becoming the first among the other candidates to do so on Wednesday, before Returning Officer Charmingstar N Sangma at the Tura Deputy comissioner’s office.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma took time out to come down to Tura and attend the filing of nomination by his party candidate, signifying the importance of the by-poll and the high stakes involved.
Abdus Saleh, accompanied by his wife, senior NPP party members, besides the Chief Minister, was initially scheduled to file his papers in the morning. It was delayed by over four hours over ‘paper work’ completion.
Saleh is a former Congressman who was elected twice from the Mahendraganj border constituency in South West Garo Hills district. He switched over to Rajabala after delimitation of constituencies but has not won from there despite two previous attempts. He was first defeated by Ashahel D Shira in the 2013 elections and again in 2018 by Dr Azad Zaman of the Congress.
He will be facing a multi-cornered contest in the October 30th polls with the Congress allotting the ticket to Azad’s widow Hashina Yasmine Mondol, the BJP’s Kingstone B Marak, sitting Congress MDC turned rebel Ashahel D Shira and a possible Independent by the name of Karansing Marak.