13 candidates in fray for Oct 30 bypolls

SHILLONG/TURA, Oct 8: As many as 13 candidates have entered the fray to contest bye-elections to three Assembly constituencies in the state scheduled on October 30.
Five candidates each will contest from Mawryngkneng and Rajabala while three candidates will fight it out for the Mawphlang seat.
Three candidates – former Congress leader and independent candidate Norbert Marboh, KHNAM’s Esron Marwein and a former nurse of Mawryngkneng PHC, Arbiangkam Kharsohmat – submitted their papers from Mawryngkneng on the last day of filing of nominations on Friday.
The two other candidates in the fray include Congress candidate Highlander Kharmalki and NPP’s Pyniaid Sing Syiem.
There are three candidates from Mawphlang including Congress candidate Kennedy C. Khyriem, UDP’s Eugeneson Lyngdoh Mawphlang and Congress rebel turned NPP candidate Lamphrang Blah.
In Rajabala, three more candidates filed their papers on Friday to make it a five-way contest.
Leading the pack on Friday was UDP’s Ashahel D Shira, a rebel Congress MDC.
Shira was accompanied by UDP stalwarts including Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Ranikor MLA Pius Marwein and Baghmara legislator Samuel M Sangma.
BJP candidate Kingstone B Marak, accompanied by party MDC Bernard Marak, was the second candidate to file his nomination.
The last to file his papers was Independent candidate Carla R Sangma. Congress candidate Hashina Yasmin Mondal  and NPP’s Abdus Saleh are also in the fray.
The scrutiny of the nomination papers will be taken up on October 11.
The UDP, which drew a blank in the GHADC polls, is confident of a turnaround this time.
“We are confident of Ashahel’s win because he was earlier an MLA. Though he lost the 2018 assembly elections, yet, he came back to win the MDC election this year,” a confident Rymbui told media persons in Tura.
He dismissed the clash of interest between the NPP and his party over fielding of candidates’ for Rajabala stating that “in politics one needs to do it on his own”.
He also dismissed any possible threat from militants during campaign and polling saying that the state police force is capable of facing any challenge.