By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: There is mixed reaction from sitting Congress legislators who did not get party ticket to contest the Assembly polls. Here are the reactions.

Samuel Sangma: Come what may, I will contest as Independent from Baghmara. My supporters have all decided to quit the Congress. I don’t know the reason for dropping my name. Mukul Sangma may know. I am leaving for Garo Hills on Tuesday to meet my supporters.

Abdus Saleh: My supporters wanted me to contest the Rajabala seat and I have decided to contest as Independent. However, I have full confidence in the leadership of Mukul Sangma. I am sad not because I did not get the ticket, but the worry is that Mukul will not be with me when I contest from the new place. There is a feeling among the supporters that like UDP and NPP, the Congress should have given ticket to a non-indigenous person.

Stanly Wiss Rymbai: I will definitely contest as an Independent candidate from Umroi. I knew of the development nearly four months back. However, I don’t know the reason why I was not given the ticket.

Nehlang Lyngdoh: I don’t want to contest. I am on a holiday. I had made it clear two months back that I am not willing to contest from Umsning. Moreover, two years back I had announced I was not keen to contest from Khliehriat. I have also decided not to support any candidate in the upcoming election.

From CK Nayak

 New Delhi: Internal bickering rather than winability was the cause that led to the dropping of as many five top sitting legislatures from the Congress list of candidates for the coming Assembly polls in Meghalaya which was released on Sunday night.

Former MPCC president Friday Lyngdoh was too old to contest but was also sulking after he resigned under unceremonious circumstances. Augustine Marak was under the impression that a section of the party would sabotage his chances this time so he chose not to apply for the party ticket.

Community and Rural Development Minister Saleng Sangma, the most prominent face who was dropped and sitting MLA Samuel Sangma were not in good terms with Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma who dominates Garo Hills as his forte. But Abdus Saleh lost in the race despite vacating his seat for Mukul’s wife at Mahendrajang precisely for the opposite reason.

Saleh who is a close aide of Mukul was eyeing the Rajabala seat which was declared as a general seat. But the incumbent legislator Saydullah Nongrum, a former Cabinet Minister, though a tribal, put down his foot till the end of the battle.

A three-time MLA, Nongrum had good equations with top AICC leaders belonging to the minority community. His name was cleared in the screening committee itself since its Chairperson Ambika Soni pointed out that a tribal can contest in general seat and there are specific examples in this list itself.

When the matter came to the Central Election Authority the same argument was placed and the choice remained whether to allow Saleh to contest from Mahendrajang. Obviously, being a woman and the wife of the Chief Minister, Dikkanchi Shira was nominated to contest in place of Saleh.

Nehlang Lyngdoh himself put a half-hearted effort to contest fearing sabotage from within. But in case of Stanly Wiss Rymbai his lack of interest cost him the ticket. Some applicants were also rejected on the ground that they had links with militant outfits and cases were pending against them.

Rymbai did not attend the swearing in ceremony as a Cabinet Minister even after his name was announced, allowing Prestone Tyngsong to walk away with the Cabinet berth. Rymbai hardly attended MPCC or CLP meetings and even failed to attend a high level function in his own home town Umroi attended by then Union Civil Aviation Minister and top Congress leader Valayar Ravi.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: Shocked and dejected at being denied ticket by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, Community and Rural Development Minister Saleng Sangma on Monday made a dash for New Delhi only to return back from Byrnihat.

“I was shocked when militant attacked my home and now I am shocked at the behavior of the party,” Sangma later told media persons here.

Sangma stated that his name had figured in the list till the eleventh hour but it was removed just before the list was sent to 10 Janpath for final approval.

He, further, asserted that he had got cent per cent approval of his candidature from the Block Congress as well as District Congress Committee.

Asked for reasons for denial of the party ticket, Sangma said that he was not aware of any, adding that till date he has remained a disciplined Congress worker. He also stated that he had trust in the Chief Minister and that was the reason why he had joined his team.

On possibilities of contesting the election from a different party, the C&RD Minister said he would go back to the people in his constituency and discuss the matter with them.

When asked if he would join Purno Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP), he said, “I will listen to my people and my conscience on this matter.”

Meanwhile, Shillong MP Vincent Pala posted a comment on the social website Facebook asserting that the list was thoroughly examined by the Congress high command.

“The list of candidates is thoroughly examined by the high command this time and they took a strong stand. Hope to do well in the coming election,” the comment read.

Incidentally, MPCC working president Deborah Marak called up Sangma on Monday to console him.

It may be mentioned that the final list of Congress candidates was released by AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes on Sunday night.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: A delegation of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which is on a visit to the State, has asked the Deputy Commissioners and SPs of West, East and South Garo Hills districts to carry out a vulnerability mapping of areas which are affected due to insurgent activities by GNLA.

An official said that the ECI wants to ensure a free and fair election in Garo Hills, which is reeling under militancy.

The ECI team also sought detailed briefing from all the districts.

Moreover, the DCs and SPs have also been asked to be vigilant in coal belt areas of the State to check the use of money power in the elections. Liquor business and frequent seizures were also discussed during the meeting.

A petition was also filed that some NGOs in Amlarem were threatening the non tribals not to enroll themselves in the electoral roll and in this regard, the ECI has directed the DC to look into the matter and submit its report to the Commission within two days.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The UDP and HSPDP have questioned the efficacy and credibility of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during their meeting with the Election Commission officials.

“We have placed our concern over the doubts rallying over the EVMs,” UDP spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh informed after the meeting with the Election Commission officials here on Monday.

Lyngdoh informed that they have also cited instances which have put a serious question on the credibility of the EVMs.

“We have also impressed upon the ECI to introduce the upgraded EVMs,” the UDP spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, HSPDP spokesperson G Nonglong said that the party has also raised the question before the ECI on whether the EVMs were fool proof.

“We have narrated the bitter experience we had with the EVMs during the 2009 Lok Sabha election. We were caught surprised that our party candidate got few votes from areas which were a strong base of the party,” Nonglong said.

He said that he has suggested to the ECI that there should be re-check on all the EVMs two hours before the polling begins.

“We have also urged the Election Commission not to keep a huge gap between the polling and counting day. If there is a huge gap, there are strong possibilities that the EVMs might be tampered with,” he said.

While informing that they have also raise the issue of enrollment of dubious people in the electoral rolls, Nonglong informed that they have taken up the issue of the status of voters residing in villages close to the inter-State border of Assam and Meghalaya.

“We have highlighted about the Supreme Court ruling on the status of the voters residing along the inter-State border. We have told the ECI that the apex court has directed to maintain status quo if there are such cases,” he said while adding that with the apex court ruling, the villagers who are inside the Meghalaya border would have to cast their votes in the State.

Official sources revealed that the Election Commission officials have assured to conduct an orientation programme for all candidates on the various features of the EVMs.

“The ECI would be conducting this exercise to infuse confidence on the reliability of the EVMs,” official sources said.

On the demand to introduce the upgraded EVMs, official sources said that the ECI has expressed its difficulty to introduce the upgraded EVMs since this new system is still under examination.

The official sources also said that the ECI expressed its inability to arrange for the counting immediately after the polling since they are simultaneously holding election in three states.

According to official sources, the ECI assured that they would hold the counting of votes for the three states including Meghalaya on the same day.

On the status of the voters along the inter-State border of Meghalaya and Assam, official sources said that the ECI has asked Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Prashant Naik to look into the matter.

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: Member of the National Commission for Protection of Child’s Right (NCPCR), Dr Yogesh Dube, is visiting Shillong from January 7 to 10 to meet the Chief Secretary and concerned principal secretaries of various departments to discuss and review child labour and labour safety in mines in Jaintia Hills in particular and the State in general.

A meeting will also be conducted to discuss issues pertaining to children of migrant labourers in the State, to follow up recommendations made by the Commission after the earlier visit to the coal mining areas and to hold discussions about mapping of the vulnerable and sensitive areas where child labour is rampant.

Dr Dube will also meet Governor RS Mooshahary to discuss child rights issues in the State.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Suspended UDP legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit has decided to contest the Nongkrem seat on a HSPDP ticket.

Basaiawmoit said on Monday that to clear the doubts, he has decided to contest from the HSPDP.

Earlier, the supporters of the legislator had also joined HSPDP.

With the Congress fielding Lambor Malngiang from Nongkrem, Basaiawmoit hopes that he would be able to retain the seat.

The legislator, however, wanted the unification of all minor political parties which include HSPDP, KHNAM and MDP to act as an alternate force to take on other existing parties.

It was after questioning the UDP leadership for allotting the party ticket to a non-indigenous person in Rajabala constituency that the UDP suspended the legislator.

Basaiwmoit asserted that though he had raised the issue of ticket allotment to a non-indigenous person in Rajabala, he was not against the interest of genuine non-indigenous persons and hoped that all sections of people will support him.

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG: Twenty-five days after the gruesome gang-rape of an 18-year-old girl at Williamnagar, East Garo Hills police on Monday finally submitted the charge sheet in the court.

The Williamnagar gang-rape case had occurred on December 13 last.

Recently, the police had claimed that the charge sheet has been filed only to change its version later.

According to East Garo Hills Superintendent of Police Jerry FK Marak, seven out of the sixteen accused have been named in the charge sheet while for the other nine accused, who are juveniles, separate action will be taken under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Meanwhile, with the case being charge sheeted, police hoped that the trial, which is supposed to be conducted every week as per the request of the Director General of Police following the absence of a Fast Track Court, would begin soon.