SHILLONG: Two sitting legislators resigned from the Assembly on Tuesday to contest from the Congress and five BJP members joined the party ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for February 27.
Independent legislator Brigady Marak, representing Bajengdoba constituency, and NCP MLA Marthon Sangma from Mendipathar joined the Congress and their names were on the list of contesting candidates. The names will be approved by the AICC.
The five members of BJP from North Shillong who joined the Congress are BJP Shillong city president Keith Pariat, former BJP North Shillong Mandal president WO Thangkhiew, former treasurer Sunshine Warjri and executive member William Marbaniang. The five new entrants were felicitated by the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Celestine Lyngdoh in the presence of AICC general secretary in-charge Meghalaya CP Joshi and Shillong MP Vincent H Pala at Congress Bhavan Pariat, who will apply for Congress ticket, said the reason for quitting the BJP was due to the mismanagement of the party.
“I joined BJP in 2015 attracted by the style and functioning of the Prime Minister but as we continued to stay, certain changes have taken place,” he said.
According to Pariat, the tribal population fears that the situation is not good for them under the BJP rule.
