SHILLONG, Oct 31: The Congress said the results of the by-elections to the three Assembly seats, especially retaining Mawryngkneng and Rajabala seats, will be crucial for the party.
“There is no doubt the results of the by-elections, especially in Mawryngkneng and Rajabala, are important for the Congress because of the untimely demise of our MLAs in the two constituencies,” state Congress working president, Ampareen Lyngdoh said on Sunday.
She said the bypolls to Mawphlang were also important because the Congress was pushed to a situation to test its field and position after the exit of party’s sitting MDC, Lamphrang Blah caused a split.
Lyngdoh said she is not very sure if the results will have any impact on the Assembly elections of 2023.
“However, if the government (read ruling parties) is able to win more seats, they will be further emboldened to continue with serving people the way they have in the last three and half years,” Lyngdoh said.
The polls in Mawryngkneng will decide the fate of Congress nominee Highlander Kharmalki, National People’s Party’s (NPP) Pyniaid Sing Syiem and three independent candidates.
Mawphlang witnessed a triangular contest among former MLA Kennedy C Khyriem of the Congress, former footballer Eugeneson Lyngdoh of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and former Congressman Lamphrang Blah of the NPP.
In the Rajabala seat, Congress candidate Hashina Yasmin Mondal was pitted against Ashahel D Shira of the UDP, Abdus Saleh of the NPP, Kingston B Marak of the BJP and an independent candidate.
The results will be declared on November 2.
The bypolls were necessitated by the death of Congress MLAs, David A Nongrum (Mawryngkneng), Azad Zaman (Rajabala) and independent MLA and UDP associate member, SK Sunn (Mawphlang).
