SHILLONG, Oct 6: Former Indian footballer, Eugeneson Lyngdoh Mawphlang is all charged up to kick the poll ball.
He is contesting the bye-elections from Mawphlang on the ticket of the United Democratic Party (UDP).
“It was people’s choice that made me contest the elections on a UDP ticket. I stand here because they wanted me,” Lyngdoh told reporters after filing his nomination on Wednesday.
Senior UDP leaders Lahkmen Rymbui, Titosstarwell Chyne and Jemino Mawthoh, among others, accompanied him.
Lyngdoh joined politics following in the footsteps of his father and respecting “the voice and opinion of people”.
Asked if he would continue playing professional football, he said, “I don’t think I can juggle two professions at a time. I want to focus on one profession and try to do my best.”
He also said that he is contesting the bye-elections to fulfil the unfinished tasks of his late father.
Lyngdoh is up against seasoned politicians – Kennedy Khyriem of the Congress and Lamphrang Blah of the National People’s Party (NPP).
Meanwhile, NPP candidate in the Rajabala seat, Abdus Saleh also filed his nomination papers on Wednesday. Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma went to Tura from Shillong to attend the filing of nomination. His presence signifies the importance of the bye-elections.
Saleh, who was also accompanied by his wife and senior NPP members, was initially scheduled to file his papers in the morning but it was delayed by over four hours to complete ‘paper work’.
Saleh is a former Congressman, who was elected twice from Mahendraganj in South West Garo Hills. He switched over to Rajabala following the delimitation of constituencies but was not successful in his last two attempts.
In a multi-cornered contest, he is up against Azad Zaman’s widow Hashina Yasmin Mondal of the Congress and Kingstone B Marak of the BJP among others.
