SHILLONG: Talks are on to identify the right person to contest the Shella by-election on the Congress ticket.
Sources in the Congress said the party might rope in Leston Wanswett or his brother while another name that has come up is its MDC from Nongshken Grace Mary Kharpuri.
In the last assembly elections, Wanswett, who contested on a People’s Democratic Front ticket, had come second. Late Donkupar Roy emerged victorious with a margin of around 400 votes.
Meanwhile, when asked whether the Congress will have an advantage if a common candidate is fielded, general secretary of UDP Jemino Mawthoh said that election strategies should come up from the partners of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) to win the elections.
“We need to understand the dynamics of Shella politics also. For us to win the elections, we need to discuss strategies with other coalition partners,” he said.
The UDP will approach other parties in the MDA to not field their candidates if they respect Roy who was also instrumental in forming the MDA and support the candidate they put up.
On the other hand, there were rumours of a division in the UDP camp in Shella with some asserting that other leaders be projected instead of Roy’s son Balajied Synrem. “There is nothing like that and these are all speculations. On August 22, candidature of Balajied will be declared,” he said.
The general meeting of the Shella circle will be held on August 22.
