SHILLONG: With less than two months to go for the district council elections, the United Democratic Party (UDP) on Wednesday released its first list of candidates in which only six ticket aspirants were given the go ahead.
UDP State Election Committee (SEC) secretary Allantry Franklin Dkhar said out of the 22 ticket aspirants from various constituencies under the KHADC, only six fulfilled the criteria laid down by the party.
The candidates include former Congress MDC Martamlin Pyrbot from Jaiaw Constituency, former KSU leader Hamletson Dohling from Mylliem constituency, Gervasis Kharmujai from Mawlai constituency, Anthony Nongbri from Laitumkhrah, Wanpli Kharmawphlang from Nongthymmai and Edarstar Nongbri from Nongkrem Constituency.
“We are targeting to release the second list within the first week of January and have asked the remaining ticket aspirants to complete the necessary formalities at the earliest,” Dkhar said.
He said that the UDP is also looking to have some understanding with other like-minded parties in some constituencies under the KHADC.
“At the moment, the picture is not clear. There are possibilities that the party might decide to go it alone in all the 30 constituencies,” Dkhar said.
Dkhar also informed that the party leadership has been asked to go slow with the declaration of the candidates for the constituencies under the JHADC due to the confusion over the proposed delimitation of constituencies in Jaintia Hills.
“We have decided to keep in abeyance the announcement of the party candidates for the JHADC polls for the time being,” he said.
The UDP, meanwhile, is still undecided on the number of candidates to be fielded for the GHADC polls.
“So far, a total number of 16 aspirants have applied for the party ticket,” Dkhar informed.
