SHILLONG: Independents top the chart of candidates contesting in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) polls slated to be held on October 12.
Out of the 162 candidates in fray in the GHADC election, 79 are independents, 29 from Congress, 26 from Nationalist People’s Party (NPP), 14 from United Democratic Party (UDP) and six from Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Garo National Council (GNC), meanwhile, are fielding four candidates each.
The Congress is the only party fielding candidates in all the 29 constituencies with as many as seven candidates contesting from Tura.
A total of 5,90,456 voters, 2,98,816 males and 2,91,640 females, will decide the fate of the 162 candidates in 29 constituencies in the GHADC polls, the results of which will be declared on October 15.
The smallest constituency is Rongrikimgre with a total of 11,203 voters while the biggest constituency is Tura with over 42,774 voters.
Among non-Garos contesting in the GHADC polls are Jyotirmoy Koch (Independent), Mahiran Hajong (BJP) and Nripendra Koch (INC) from Betasing constituency, Bhupendra Hajong (BJP) and Jogadish Ch Hajong (INC), from Zikzak constituency, Prasen Rabha (Independent), Ranjit Rabha (BJP), Sanjay Kr Rabha (Independent), Chiranjit Rabha ( Independent) from Naguapara constituency and Milon Chandra Hajong (Independent) from Balachanda constituency. The non-Garo list also includes non-tribals contesting the polls.
While Monirul Islam (INC), Shaza Zaman (Independent) and Sofior Rahman (Independent) are contesting from Balachanda constituency, Enamul Islam (Independent), Sader Hossain (INC), SG Esmatur Mominul (NPP) and Shahanur Islam (Independent) are fighting it out from Shyamnagar.
