Shillong, Feb 3: Several candidates including Cabinet Minister, Dasakhiatbha Lamare, former Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh and former legislator Mohendro Rapsang filed their nominations on Friday for the ensuing Assembly polls in the State.
Both Lamare and Rapsang who are contesting as NPP candidates filed their nomination from Nongkrem and West Shillong respectively.
However, former Home Minister who is the contesting from the UDP ticket filed his nomination from Sohiong constituency.
The Congress candidates who filed their nominations included Nehru Suting from Pynursla, Dannyson Kurbah from Mawphlang, former NGO leader, Marbud Dkhar from Mawlai, Osborne Kharjana from Sohiong and Gopal Stone Hynniewta from Mawsynram.
Former MLA, Donkupar Massar also filed his nomination as an independent candidate from Pynursla constituency.
It may be recalled that as many as 15 candidates filed their nominations on Thursday across the state for the February 27 Assembly elections.
While speaking to reporters after filing the nomination paper, NPP candidate from Nongkrem constituency, clarified that the monetary support given to the people cannot be termed as a mean to buy people’s vote.
Lamare said that it was not true that he was reaching out to help people only before elections. He further claimed that he was ready to help anyone needy coming from any constituencies or any part of the state.
On his decision to contest from Nongkrem instead of Mawhati which he represented as an MLA, he said it was the will of the people of Nongkrem that he contests from this constituency.
According to him, he was able to take this decision due to the understanding with the people of Mawhati. He further said that the NPP candidate from Mawhati, Shemphang Lyngdoh is his uncle.
Meanwhile, the former Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh exuded confidence that he would bounce back in the upcoming Assembly polls. He, however, admitted it was his overconfidence which led to his defeat in 2018 polls.
Talking to reporters, Lyngdoh who is also an ex-MLA of Sohiong said that the wave is in favour of the UDP since there is a general feeling that the regional party should rule the state now. He said that his priority was to repair the damage that has been done in the last five years.
The former Sohiong MLA had deserted the Congress and joined the United Democratic Party (UDP) last year. He had lost in the last Assembly polls to former HSPDP MLA Samlin Malngiang.