SHILLONG, Feb 8: The UDP and NPP arrived with extremely large number of supporters in what may be termed a show of strength in Khliehriat, East Jaintia Hills, who along with supporters of other party’s candidates swarmed the DC’s office during the scrutiny of nominations for the February 27 Assembly polls on Wednesday.
A huge chunk of the supporters were with UDP’s Kyrmen Shylla and NPP’s Nehlang Lyngdoh.
Almost everyone had party flags and they were strewn across the national highway passing Khliehriat.
The candidates were whisked off by their supporters as soon as they came out of the building. The supporters had crowded the premises of the DC’s office.
On this, East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner A Baranwal said that police personnel were not deployed and since the building is new, the boundary has not been erected, which is why the supporters could enter from different sides.
“We had to take a call on whether we want to disperse the crowd. It might have created a law and order situation and this is why we allowed this small violation in order to ensure that no untoward incidents take place,” he said.
Asked about the preparation for polls, the DC said that they are all set for free and fair elections in the district.
On the pockets identified as vulnerable, Baranwal said they are spread over the entire district and focus is on villages that have had prior history of electoral violence like Sutnga and Byndihati.
“Similar complaints have come about Rymbai and even gone to EC… wherever there are reports of the political rivalry being too intense, we have also categorised them as vulnerable areas,” he said.
There are 64 polling stations in the district which are vulnerable and the administration has requested the Chief Electoral Officer and the Election Commission to allow webcast of the entire polling process in the polling stations.
As of now, the district has received two companies of SSB. The total requirement of the district is seven, and the rest of the five companies will arrive in Khliehriat after the completion of Tripura elections.
