SHILLONG, Feb 21: With the fate of 272 candidates sealed inside EVMs on Friday, the guessing game has begun as far as the prospects of candidates and political parties are concerned. A clear mandate seems to be highly unlikely in either the KHADC or the JHADC, as history would suggest, but political parties are quite confident about their success in the polls.
The NPP on Friday exuded confidence that it will play the lead role in the formation of Executive Committees (ECs) in both KHADC and JHADC. The UDP, on the other hand, seems to be confident about its prospect in the KHADC.
After casting her vote, NPP leader and Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh told reporters that as per pre-poll predictions, the party will be in a leading position to form the ECs in both councils.
She said the predictions were based on specific facts which indicate that the NPP will win around 13 to 15 seats in each council. She hinted that the party is ready to work with the United Democratic Party to form the new ECs.
“We will have the same arrangements like in the state to form the EC in the KHADC,” Lyngdoh said.
Echoing similar sentiments, NPP state president Prestone Tynsong sounded confident the party will get an absolute majority in both KHADC and JHADC.
He said the party received huge support from people in a majority of the constituencies of the two councils. He added that there was a close contest in a few seats.
“We are committed to continuing to serve the people of the state through the two ADCs,” the deputy chief minister said.
He said the NPP is expected to win from Langkyrdem-Laitkroh and Nongskhen seats which fall under the Pynursla Assembly constituency.
Tynsong’s nephew Rahboklang Tynsong contested from Langkyrdem-Laitkroh while party MDC Grace Mary Kharpuri contested from Nongshken.
UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh also sounded confident that his party will lead the next Executive Committee (EC) in the KHADC.
Talking to reporters after casting his vote here on Friday, Paul said predictions and indications show that the UDP is going to do very well across all the districts in Khasi Hills.
Reacting to Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh’s statement that the NPP is ready for a post-poll alliance with UDP, Paul said he would not jump the gun but wait for February 24.
“We should not decide for those who will be elected on February 24. The newly-elected UDP MDCs will take the call along with the party leadership,” he said.
He was clear that in the wake of a hung House, the UDP will neither leave the council without a leadership nor leave it at the hands of an administrator or the state government.
