By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: UDP candidate from Pynthorumkhrah, Predecessor Nongrum has denied that he is the dummy candidate of the sitting Congress legislator AL Hek.
“I know that these kinds of rumours are being spread against me. This is only a false propaganda by my opponents since they are not happy after seeing me garner support in various areas in the constituency,” Nongrum said while speaking to reporters after his car rally here on Thursday.
The UDP candidate said that initially, no one took him very seriously when he had expressed his intention to contest the election.
“In fact, when I started to distribute my appeal I only had a few people behind me. But slowly and gradually, people in the constituency started to have confidence in me,” Rumnong said while adding that many would be surprised to see that so many people have come to participate in the rally.
When asked for a reason behind him contesting this election, he said that the lack of development in his constituency made him choose the political path.
“I have started my journey by supporting the former MLA of the constituency JM Pariat. After Pariat, I stood behind the sitting legislator AL Hek for the last 15 years,” he said.
The UDP candidate said that while travelling to various parts of the constituency, he was hurt to see that there was no development at all in the constituency.
“The condition of the constituency has remained the same for the last 15 to 20 years,” he said.
Stating that the people still remember some of the good work done by the former MLA (Pariat), Nongrum said that the sitting legislator (Hek) has done nothing for the people to cherish during his three term as an MLA.
When asked if he does not feel that he has betrayed the sitting legislator since he was with him for the last 15 years, he said that the question of betraying Hek does not arise.
“He (Hek) was also strong supporter of Pariat before he finally decided to contest against him in 1993. Everyone has the right to contest the election,” the UDP candidate said.
While criticizing the MLAs for misusing the MLA schemes, he said that the legislators are using the MLA schemes like their own money. “The MLA schemes are meant for bringing development. But the MLAs presently are using the scheme for distributing of blankets and other things,” Nongrum asserted.
