SHILLONG: The name of CLP leader Mukul Sangma does not figure on the list of candidates sent to the AICC for consideration though there were media reports that the High Command prefers Sangma to contest the Tura seat.
The MPCC election committee has sent the names of all candidates, who had applied for party ticket for Shillong and Tura Lok Sabha seats, to the AICC for final selection.
MPCC working president James Lyngdoh told The Shillong Times on Saturday that the names of three candidates — sitting MP Vincent Pala and former legislators HDR Lyngdoh and Kennedy Khyriem — for Shillong seat were sent to AICC after a meeting held on February 28.
Similarly, for Tura seat, the names of applicants sent to the AICC are Congress legislators Zenith Sangma and Winnerson Sangma, former deputy chief minister Deborah Marak and youth Congress president Richard Marak.
Though the Nongkrem Block Congress Committee had recommended the name of Congress leader John F Kharshiing, his name was not sent.
When asked, Lyngdoh said since Kharshiing did not apply for party ticket, his name was not forwarded.
“We only recommended the names of party members who had applied for ticket and the block Congress committee had only sent a letter to us regarding John Kharshiing,” Lyngdoh said.
To a query regarding former chief minister Mukul Sangma, Lyngdoh said the CLP leader too did not apply for party ticket.
“We cannot forward the names of members who have not applied for party ticket,” he said.
Sources close to the CLP leader said he is not interested in contesting the polls from Tura as he is currently focused on state politics.
Congress legislator and Sangma’s wife, Dikkanchi Shira, had said on Friday that he was not interested to contest Tura seat.
Shira, who had unsuccessfully contested the last by-election to Tura Lok Sabha seat against NPP leader Conrad Sangma, is also not keen to contest the seat. Mukul had unsuccessfully contested against PA Sangma in the past from Tura seat.
Sources said while Pala has an edge over HDR Lyngdoh and Kennedy, ticket may go to him and in Tura the choice will be between Deborah and Zenith.
