Spl KHADC session to elect CEM today
SHILLONG: The crucial election of the KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) would take place during the special session of the Council on Saturday at 11 am, though Congress indicated on Friday that it might back out from the contest if it fails to ‘manage’ the numbers.
While All Regional Parties Alliance (ARPA) has fielded its chairman and HSPDP MDC Ardent Basaiawmoit for the post of CEM, the Congress led KHUDA-II has fielded its chairman Pynshngain N Syiem who represents Mawsynram district council constituency.
Syiem filed his nomination before KHADC Legislative Secretary Augustine Shangpliang on Friday, a day after Basaiawmoit filed his papers.
Despite having filed his nomination, Syiem said that the Congress-led alliance is yet to take a final call on whether to contest or to withdraw from the race. “We are expected to take a final call just before the session after calculating how many MDCs we have on our side,” Syiem said on Friday.
ARPA has the support of 17 MDCs including seven from HSPDP, six from UDP and four from KHNAM in the 29-member House, while the Congress-led alliance has the support of 12 MDCs including ten of its MDCs, NCP member Sanbor Shullai and Independent member from Mawhati James Sylliang.
The government is yet to appoint a nominated member to the KHADC.
ARPA secretary Latiplang Kharkongor expressed confidence that the Alliance would convincingly win the election on Saturday. “We have taken stock of what had happened yesterday. We hope that the same thing is not repeated,” Kharkongor said, recalling the cancellation of two ballot papers from the ARPA camp. The ARPA secretary also informed that the UDP has decided not to accept the post of Deputy Chairman.
“Following this decision, we have decided to nominate HSPDP MDC from Sohryngkham Pyniaid N Syiem for the post of Deputy Chairman,” Kharkongor said, while adding that Syiem filed his nomination on Friday.
Since the Congress-led alliance is not in the fray from the Deputy Chairman’s post, Syiem is all set to be elected unopposed.
n to elect CEM today