By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 8: Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) nominee James P.K. Sangma is set to be elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Meghalaya on June 11 after emerging as the sole candidate to file nomination papers before the deadline ended on Monday.
Returning Officer and Assembly Secretary Malthus A. Sangma confirmed that no other nomination was received till the 3 pm deadline, effectively making the election redundant. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on June 9, and if no issues arise and no withdrawal is made by June 11, Sangma will be formally declared elected the same day.
The election, originally scheduled for June 18, has become unnecessary due to the absence of any rival candidate. Once officially declared elected, Sangma will succeed Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi in the Upper House.
Earlier in the day, Sangma submitted his nomination before the Returning Officer at the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretariat in the presence of Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, cabinet ministers, legislators, and leaders of the MDA constituent parties. The MDA nominee was unanimously backed by the ruling coalition, which enjoys a comfortable majority of 51 in the 60-member Assembly.
Speaking to reporters, James thanked the people of Meghalaya and the leaders of the ruling alliance for reposing faith in him.
“I am, first of all, very grateful to the people of Meghalaya and especially to our Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Ministers, ministers, MLAs, and our alliance partners from the UDP, HSPDP, and the Independents for supporting my candidature to the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
Describing the nomination as a collective decision of the MDA, James said he felt deeply honoured and privileged to have been unanimously selected by the alliance.
“Today, I have just finished filing the nomination, and I look forward to being elected. Once elected, the responsibilities of a Rajya Sabha Member will fall on my shoulders. I intend to be vocal on issues concerning Meghalaya so that the voice of the state can be heard in Parliament,” he said.
The former minister said he would focus on long-pending issues affecting the state and emerging challenges that Meghalaya would have to navigate in the future.
On reports of differing views within the alliance over the Rajya Sabha candidature, Sangma said consensus was ultimately achieved through discussions among the coalition partners.
“Consensus comes from discussion. Whatever differences there may have been, all alliance partners sat together, discussed the issues, and finally decided unanimously to forward my name,” he said.
Responding to questions on whether his election to the Rajya Sabha would signal the end of his role in state politics, Sangma said he intended to complete the full six-year tenure if elected.
“The term of a Rajya Sabha Member is six years. I do not intend to go there and then abruptly come back. It would be very unfortunate for anyone to do so,” he remarked.
Chief Minister and James’s younger sibling, Conrad K. Sangma, exuded confidence that his brother will raise different issues concerning the state in the Parliament.
Recalling that the MDA as a government and the NPP as a party have aggressively taken up issues of the state whenever it got the opportunity, the CM said, “Our MP, once elected, will raise issue like the Eighth Schedule, Sixth Schedule, FCRA Amendment Bill, illegal immigration, ILP and even MRSSA in the Parliament,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CM also denied allegations about rift in the NPP as many senior leaders of the MDA did not accompany James as he filed his nominations on Monday.
The Chief Minister stated that the nomination filing was deferred and hence many leaders could not attend the same on Monday.
In addition, he said that Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar’s mother had passed away on Saturday and most members attended the funeral which took place on Monday.
