By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 5: The ruling NPP is reportedly facing a lot of pressure from the state’s prominent business house, Dhar Group, to award the party ticket for the Shillong seat to former Mawhati MLA, Dasakhiatbha Lamare.
The Dhar Group is reportedly being backed by six or seven sitting MLAs.
Chief Minister and NPP national president, Conrad K Sangma has little influence over this because he has let the leaders of Khasi and Jaintia Hills to select the candidate they want to be presented.
Four MLAs from Jaintia Hills and two from the Ri-Bhoi district, as well as other NPP leaders from Ri-Bhoi, have reportedly endorsed the Dhar Group’s “demand”.
By using their “numerical advantage”, the Dhar faction, headed by former Mawhati MLA Ngaitlang Dhar, is presenting Dasakhiatbha, a new face for the MP candidature.
While it is unclear whether the NPP leadership will give in to the pressure, the party seems to be split on the choice of the candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.
Prior to this development, HM Shangpliang, a former prominent Meghalaya BJP leader, joined the ruling NPP and was tipped to be the party’s likely nominee for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
There have been rumours that the NPP is attempting to recruit TMC state vice president and former Umroi MLA, George B Lyngdoh to become their contender for the Shillong seat.