Bernard aspires to contest from Tura in LS polls

SHILLONG, Dec 3: Tura MDC and BJP vice president, Bernard Marak on Wednesday said he aspires to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Tura seat. If the party decides, he is willing to enter the fray.
“Right now, we are not talking about the candidature but the preparations are going on and we are doing it as per the instruction of our central leaders. About the candidature, nothing is finalised till now but there aspiring candidates and I am one of them,” said Bernard, while talking about the BJP and Tura parliamentary seat.
“If the central leaders feel that I am the fit candidate to contest from Tura seat, naturally, I will be contesting on behalf of the party,” he added.
Earlier, Bernard had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from Tura against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Asked when the party will announce its poll candidates, he said, “We cannot say as we got a new state president and our working mechanism is a presidential system. Once we get the new president, all bodies get dissolved and a new team has to be formed. As per the direction of the party, the state and district-level teams are being formed
and even at the constituency level, and it has to be finished before we work on other things”.
Pointed out that one of the BJP MLAs who had once unsuccessfully contested the Shillong MP seat suggested that the party should announce the candidates in time giving ample time to the candidates to carry out their campaigning, Marak said, “For people who keep on working in all areas like me, I am looking after central schemes, I am in constant touch with people at grassroots level. It is not only the political campaign that matters, our activities are more related to people and we are more people oriented and in strengthening the party”.
He said, “Today in Garo Hills, even in the hill areas, people have faith in the BJP because people are working continuously whether t