SHILLONG, Jan 21: The Congress this time will not want to repeat the mistake of 2023 Assembly elections by attempting to field candidates in all 60 Assembly constituencies, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Vincent H Pala said on Tuesday.
“We had a very bad experience, as there were constituencies where our candidates received only 500 to 1,000 votes. It was an embarrassment for the entire party,” Pala admitted.
He further informed that the party is being cautious in selecting strong candidates for the upcoming KHADC and JHADC elections. According to Pala, the party plans to contest 28 out of 29 seats in the KHADC, the lone exception being Laban-Mawprem constituency, and 20 out of 29 seats in the JHADC. He clarified that the party will not be fielding candidates in the remaining seats.
Pala explained that the decision was influenced by feedback from block members, who felt it would not be appropriate to field candidates just for the sake of contesting.
“I won’t say we have very strong candidates in all the constituencies we are contesting. We might make mistakes in one or two seats. But we are determined not to face the same embarrassment we experienced during the Assembly elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pala expressed confidence that the party will perform well in the JHADC polls this time. He highlighted that the candidates include sitting MDCs, former MDCs, and others who have already laid the groundwork for their campaigns. He also noted that contesting in the JHADC elections requires dedication, given the Council’s challenging financial situation. “The financial position of the council is very poor. We are aware that MDCs and staff have not received their salaries for a long time,” Pala said.
Cong receives fillip in Umroi
In a major fillip, the Congress benefitted from the mass joining of leaders and members of the Umroi Constituency Progressive Forum (UCPF). The joining event took place at the football ground in Umroi on Tuesday.
The UCPF members, led by their president Pynskhem Sohtun, pledged their support to former UCPF working president Mickey Douglas Syiem, who will be contesting the elections on a Congress ticket. It is worth noting that Syiem had formally joined the Congress on January 3.
Speaking on the occasion, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Pynshngain N Syiem expressed his satisfaction with the development, stating, “I am happy to see this effort to bring the UCPF members to the Congress has finally materialised.” He added, “The engagement between Congress leaders and UCPF has been ongoing for several months. It was not an easy task, as there were external forces attempting to prevent this from happening.”
Syiem commended the UCPF leaders and members for honouring their commitment to the agreement, which he said demonstrated their dedication to serving the constituency’s interests.
“I am confident that we will perform well in the Umroi constituency,” he remarked.