By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 10: The ruling NPP is awaiting the nod of the party national committee before announcing the name of their candidate for the upcoming Gambegre bypoll.
“We have received recommendation from the NPP state committee but the national committee is yet to sit down. Once the national committee finalises the proposal sent by the state committee, the candidate’s name will be finalised and announced,” NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Wednesday.
Asked for the name recommended by the NPP state committee, he said, “I can’t tell you…that is confidential.”
Sources from the party have informed that the NPP state committee has finalised the name of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s wife, Mehtab Chandee A Sangma, from an initial shortlist of eight candidates.
Initially there were eight names out of which four opted out on their own and the final name was decided from among the remaining four aspirants.
The Gambegre seat fell vacant after the resignation of Congress MLA Saleng A Sangma on June 10 following his election as the Lok Sabha MP from Tura.
The Election Commission is yet to announce the date for the bypoll. The bye-election has to be held within six months.