By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 6: The Meghalaya BJP on Monday announced the appointment of 60 new Mandal presidents as part of its effort to strengthen the party’s base across all constituencies in the state.
State BJP vice president Khrawboklang Basaiawmoit presided over a felicitation ceremony at the party office, where the newly appointed Mandal presidents were honoured. Basaiawmoit also announced the names of the appointees during the event.
This development comes in the wake of a successful membership drive launched on October 2, which saw 60,000 new members joining the party over a span of three months.
Speaking about the party’s future plans, Basaiawmoit said that the BJP intends to contest the upcoming elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC). He added that applications have been invited from aspiring candidates, who must submit their applications by Monday.
“We are not planning to contest all the seats. We will focus on a few selected constituencies,” he said.
State BJP general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna highlighted that the initiative aims to strengthen the party’s organisational structure. Pohshna noted that the Mandal presidents would play a key role in connecting the state leadership with grassroots workers across constituencies. He added that the inclusion of new faces would help the party establish a stronger presence in areas where its organisation is currently weak.
Additionally, Pohshna informed that party membership can be renewed once every five years, ensuring continued engagement and growth.
Ticket applicants
The State BJP has received applications from over 15 aspiring candidates seeking party tickets to contest the upcoming MDC elections.
BJP Spokesperson M Kharkrang confirmed that the party is set to participate in the MDC elections. He added that a preliminary meeting will be held on Tuesday to scrutinise the candidates.
“For the KHADC elections, the party has received applications from 17 to 18 candidates, while for the JHADC polls, around 7 to 8 aspirants have applied for tickets,” Kharkrang stated, outlining that this marks the BJP’s return to contesting the MDC polls after a considerable gap.
It may be noted that the saffron party remains optimistic about its prospects in the upcoming elections. Other political parties, against the backdrop, have also begun their groundwork, with campaigning efforts already gaining momentum.