SHILLONG, June 17: Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement president Pyndapborthiaw Saibon on Thursday questioned the claim of party legislator Adelbert Nongrum that he was ready to resign as president, saying that the latter had never been elected to lead the party.
“The Election Commission of India (ECI) has not recognised Nongrum as the president of the party as per its letter on October 20, 2021 before the by-election to the Mawryngkneng assembly seat. It was for this reason that the candidate projected by Nongrum was unable to contest from KHNAM,” Saibon said.
He said they had met on March 25 this year during which a decision was taken to resolve their differences.
“But they never held any other meeting. Hence, we think it is a joke that Nongrum announced through the media that he would step down from the post of president,” Saibon said.
He also wanted to know how many times Nongrum would resign from the party since he had already quit as working president July 10, 2018.
While Saibon calls himself president of the party, Nongrum has claimed that as per the letter issued on November 15, 2018, the ECI had recognised him as president of KHNAM. “I decided to step down as president of the party on the basis of this letter,” he said on Thursday.
Nongrum also explained that the ECI had passed an order that it was not going recognise anyone from KHNAM as the authority to sign on Form A and Form B required for filing of nomination.
Both the forms are required to be signed by the president of any party for introducing a candidate from the party.
“It was on the basis of the order passed by the ECI that KHNAM did not get a chance to field a candidate for the by-election to Mawryngkneng seat and the projected candidate had to contest as an independent,” the KHNAM legislator said.
