SHILLONG, Dec 31: The Congress leadership’s decision to award the party ticket for the Nongspung-Sohiong constituency to Nathaniel Rymmai, son of the late former Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh, has stirred discontent among members of the Sohiong Block Congress Committee (SBCC).
The SBCC had initially recommended its president, Osborne Kharjana, as the candidate since he was the sole applicant for the party ticket. However, the MPCC election committee, led by state Congress chief Vincent H Pala, chose to overlook the SBCC’s recommendation and allotted the ticket to Rymmai.
When contacted, Kharjana expressed disappointment and accused Pala and East Khasi Hills District Congress Committee (EKHDCC) president Antonio War of unfairly denying him the ticket.
“It was a major surprise to see Nathaniel Rymmai’s name on the list of party candidates after it was announced, especially since I was the only one who had applied for the ticket,” said Kharjana, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from the Sohiong constituency on a Congress ticket.
Kharjana called on the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to remove both Pala and War, accusing them of bias and engaging in divisive politics that could weaken the party.
He also announced his decision to refrain from contesting the upcoming district council elections and stated that he would discuss with the SBCC leadership and members whom they would support in the polls.
“We are even considering whether to dissolve the block Congress committee in Sohiong,” Kharjana revealed.
In response to a query, he further alleged that MPCC chief Pala had consistently ignored the grievances raised by the block committee.
