By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 8: The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) president, Adrian Lambert Mylliem, has decided to withdraw from the race for the party ticket to contest the upcoming elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) from Jirang constituency, and endorse the sitting MDC, Victor Ranee, for the ticket.
“After extensive discussions with the public of Jirang constituency, I firmly believe that he (Ranee) is the most viable candidate for the upcoming KHADC elections. Therefore, after an unbiased review, I once again express my endorsement and full support for Ranee as the candidate for the Indian National Congress (INC) from Jirang constituency,” Mylliem, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2023 Assembly elections from Jirang, said in his letter of endorsement.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) was expected to announce the second list of party candidates for the KHADC and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) polls on Wednesday. However, party sources revealed that the list will now be declared on Friday.
Earlier, there were reports of a tussle between Mylliem and Ranee over the party ticket. Both the Jirang Block Congress Committee (JBCC) and the Ri Bhoi District Congress Committee (RBDCC) had recommended the names of both leaders to the MPCC election committee.
Ranee, a two-time MDC, recently returned to the Congress after leaving the NPP. He cited internal politics within the NPP Jirang Block as the primary reason for his departure, accusing certain party members of conspiring to deny him the ticket for the upcoming elections. “It pains me to share that on November 9, 2024, during a Block Committee meeting at 13 Mer (13 Mile), members of the NPP Jirang Block unexpectedly declared that I should be replaced as the MDC candidate. They claimed public opinion in rural villages was against me,” Ranee stated.
Meanwhile, the NPP is reportedly set to field Jirang MLA Sosthenes Sohtun as its candidate for the Jirang constituency.