SHILLONG, Oct 24: Victory in the by-elections is crucial for Congress to strengthen its voice, senior party leader Ampareen Lyngdoh said.
The bypolls to three Assembly seats – Mawphlang, Mawryngkneng and Rajabala – are scheduled for October 30.
“We need these seats and are working hard for it,” she said, reminding that Congress could not form the government despite being the single largest party in 2018 with 21 seats.
Lyngdoh said her party is evenly placed this time. “We pray and request the people to give Congress the voice it deserves,” she added.
She said the party’s campaign in Mawryngkneng has picked up with senior leader Charles Pyngrope reminding the people about his son David Nongrum, whose death necessitated the bypoll.
Lyngdoh said Congress was confident of doing well in the constituency despite the “play of money” by rivals.
She also said Hashina Yasmin Mondal, the widow of former MLA Azad Zaman and the party’s Rajabala candidate, was politically alert and could become the first Muslim woman to be elected to the 60-member House.
Lyngdoh said Congress could gain from the triangular contest because of allies NPP and United Democratic Party (UDP) fielding candidates for Mawphlang.
The UDP’s candidate is footballer Eugeneson Lyngdoh, the son of late SK Sunn who had won the seat in 2018.
The NPP candidate for Mawphlang is Lamphrang Blah, who had been a four-time Congress Member of District Council.
“How do you explain his nomination as an NPP candidate when he was a Congress MDC 48 hours before filing nomination? But we wish them well,” she said.
Former MLA Kennedy Cornelius Khyriem and Highlander Kharmalki are the Congress candidates for Mawphlang and Mawryngkneng.