List of candidates likely today
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 21: The BJP has dispelled speculations that it may not contest the Lok Sabha polls from the two seats in Meghalaya in order to extend tacit support to the NPP.
The inordinate delay in announcing its candidates for Shillong and Tura has fuelled wild speculation that the saffron party wanted to play safe by paving the way for NPP, its NDA coalition partner, thereby wresting any possibility of a Congress victory.
State BJP leaders huddled in a meeting here at the party office to take stock of the situation.
BJP leader and Cabinet Minister, AL Hek later asserted that BJP will contest from both the seats of Shillong and Tura Parliamentary constituencies.
The meeting was also attended by BJP leaders like Rikman Momin and M Kharkrang besides one of the observers from Assam who has been sent to Meghalaya to assist the party in the run-up to the polls.
Hek also said that the party’s central leadership may announce the names of the candidates on Friday.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson M Kharkrang also denied the rumours saying that the party would contest the polls from both the seats.
The BJP on Thursday released the third list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and even this time, the party central leadership skipped Meghalaya.
Blow to BJP as former MLA joins NPP
In a major blow to the BJP in Garo Hills, senior party leader and former MLA from Baghmara Samuel M Sangma joined the NPP on Thursday. He had contested the 2023 Assembly elections as a BJP candidate but lost to independent candidate Kartush Marak, who later joined the NPP.
Sangma joined the NPP along with a large number of his supporters. He was welcomed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the presence of party leaders including cabinet ministers Marcuise N Marak and Rakkam A Sangma at a ceremony held at the NPP’s Baghmara office.