SHILLONG LOK SABHA SEAT
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 27: The former president of Hynniewtrep Youth Council, Robertjune Kharjahrin is the frontrunner for the United Democratic Party ticket to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from the Shillong parliamentary seat.
The other contenders for the party ticket include Khasi Author Society (KAS) president, DRL Nonglait and party vice-president, PT Sawkmie.
Party sources said the State Election Committee (SEC) headed by its party president, Metbah Lyngdoh was supposed to meet on Monday to discuss the Lok Sabha as well as the upcoming election to both the KHADC and JHADC.
According to the sources, the SEC could not meet since some of the members were pre-occupied. “The party candidates for the Shillong seat are still being discussed.
But many of the party top brass are keen on allotting the ticket to Kharjahrin,” a party member said.
When contacted, Sawkmie said he would abide by the decision of the party.
“I will not contest the election if I do not get the party’s nod. I will support anyone the party selects to contest from Shillong,” he said, adding that he would continue to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
Kharjahrin, who joined the UDP recently, had earlier expressed his desire to contest the Shillong Lok Sabha seat. “I hope to represent the constituency to be able to fight for the issues of the indigenous people of the state in the Lok Sabha,” he said.
He said he cut his teeth as a member of the HYC raising such issues and that he joined the UDP because its aims and objectives were the same as the head of the pressure group.