By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 25: After facing an embarrassing defect in its bastion of Gambegre, the Meghalaya Congress is now pinning the blame on the poor choice of candidate for the loss.
The party had fielded Jingjang M Marak, a close aide of three-time MLA and now Tura MP, Saleng A Sangma in Gambegre. Jingjang was placed third behind eventual winner Mehtab Chandee A Sangma (NPP) and runner-up Sadhiarani Sangma (TMC).
Sources in the party admitted that a wrong candidate was selected and by the time the realization dawned, it was too late for the party to make amends.
According to sources, the party had wanted to choose senior leader, Deborah C Marak as its candidate but had to settle for Jingjang.
“Since the party had decided on the candidate, it would have looked bad to change the candidate,” the party sources said.
The top brass of the party are likely to meet in Shillong in a couple of days for a bypoll post-mortem and to discuss the way forward.
The party is also seeking to revamp its organisation at several levels before the district council polls which are scheduled in March.