By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: With the rejection of four nominations during scrutiny on Thursday, as many as 351 candidates remain in the fray for the Meghalaya Assembly elections slated for February 23.
A final picture about the number of candidates in the fray will emerge after the last date for withdrawal of nominations on Saturday.
During scrutiny, candidature of 2 and 1 dummy candidate of UDP and Congress respectively were rejected.
The nomination of the HSPDP candidate for Mairang – Nit Shabong, was rejected as the candidate failed to sign in the affidavit which was submitted along with the nomination paper.
The nomination paper of Biris Pasi, a dummy candidate of UDP for Raliang was rejected. UDP’s official nominee for the constituency is Konstan Sungoh.
Nesting Nongdkhar, who was Congress’ dummy candidate for Nongstoin, is out of the race as his nomination was rejected during scrutiny. Dr Adviser Pariong is contesting from Nongstoin as Congress candidate.
The last nomination paper which was rejected is of another dummy candidate of UDP from Nongstoin constituency Nerius Syiemlieh.
The UDP has put up prominent coal baron from West Khasi Hills Nissar Marwein as its official candidate for Nongstoin.
165 candidates to fight in Garo Hills: As many as 165 candidates will be contesting from the Garo Hills region for the ensuing elections to the Meghalaya Assembly following completion of scrutiny on Thursday in which no candidate’s nomination paper was rejected.
On Thursday, several candidates including sitting MLAs Sayedullah Nongrum, Abdus Saleh, former C&RD Minister and sitting MLA Saleng A Sangma turned up during scrutiny of their election papers in Tura deputy commissioner’s office. (With inputs from our Tura correspondent)
