Uncertainty looms over NPP candidate for Mawlai; meet seeks voters’ support

SHILLONG, Dec 20: With sitting NPP MDC Teibor Pathaw expressing his reservations about contesting the upcoming elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), the Mawlai Social Service Organisation (MSSO) on Thursday convened a meeting with voters of the constituency to seek their support.
The NPP has yet to announce a candidate for the Mawlai constituency, as they await Pathaw’s final decision on whether he will contest in the upcoming election.
Pathaw, who has contested the MLA elections three times without success, is reportedly disheartened by his inability to secure a win. Despite being elected as an MDC in 2019, his hopes of representing Mawlai as an MLA in the 2023 Assembly polls were dashed when voters handed a landslide victory to sitting VPP MLA Brighstarwell Malngiang.
Determined to persuade Pathaw to participate in the upcoming election, the MSSO is rallying support from the constituency’s voters.
“We will not allow the sitting MDC to sit idle; we want him to contest the election,” a member of the MSSO stated after the meeting.
Revealing that the MSSO leadership plans to meet Pathaw in the coming days, he expressed optimism that they can convince him to contest in the upcoming polls.
As speculation continues, reports suggest five candidates are preparing to contest from Mawlai. These include former MLA PT Sawkmie, former Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun general secretary Samram Syiem, and TULBA president Seiborlang L Nonglait, all of whom are expected to run as independents. Meanwhile, the VPP has fielded Eddieson Kharumnuid and the Congress has awarded its ticket to Wanseng Jyrwa.