ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

Cong, BJP keep fingers crossed as Meghalaya, Nagaland polls near

PTI12_9_2017_000080A BJP claims that the response the party gets in Meghalaya was phenomenal | PTI

The battle-cry has been sounded in the two poll bound states of Meghalaya and Nagaland with the two national parties—the Congress and the BJP—trying to outdo each other and form the government early next month.

The beautiful hill-state of Meghalaya or the abode of clouds has never earlier witnessed such a high intensity election, with the major political parties wooing the electorate as never before and exuding confidence of winning the polls which will be held on February 27. Counting of votes will take place on March 3.

Altogether 443 nominations have been received from candidates, since the process started on January 31, Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer F.R. Kharkongor said. The state has 18.31 lakh voters.

The ruling Congress is fielding 59 candidates in the 60 Assembly seats with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma contesting from two seats—Ampati and Songsak.

The BJP is putting up candidates in 47 constituencies; the National People’s Party (NPP), now headed by Conrad Sangma, son of Garo strongman P.A. Sangma of the Congress who had formed the NCP with Sharad Pawar and later the NPP, has fielded 53 candidates, the Nationalist Congress Party in 17 seats. Among regional parties, Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) has put up candidates in 13 seats, the United Democratic Party in 35 seats, the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement in eight seats and the Garo National Council in five seats.

A pumped up BJP under the watchful eye of Nalin Kohli, party's national spokesperson and in-charge of Meghalaya, claimed that the response that the party got was phenomenal and the BJP will lead and form the government in Meghalaya. “We have outstanding candidates like Hek (who left the Congress and returned to the BJP), Sanbor Shullai, J.A. Lyngdoh, Ernest Mawrie and Antonio War. This is going to be a massive election for us and lotus always blooms out of dirt and muck,” he said. Kohli said the BJP’s confidence was based on a massive assessment at the state level, and added that the performance of the party would surprise many. During the 2013 Assembly election, the BJP drew a blank.

Incumbent chief minister Mukul Sangma, once again the chief ministerial candidate for the Congress, is taking no chances. Seeking re-election from Ampati for a record sixth consecutive term, Sangma for the first time in his political career is seen to be contesting from two seats. He is up against anti-incumbency and a resurgent NPP, a possible ally of the BJP.

To the BJP’s charge of “15 years of loot, 15 years of destruction” against the Congress government, Mukul Sangma responded, “Development has taken place in Meghalaya, but the opposition parties allege that I was sleeping. We have brought peace to the state. If we could achieve so much while I was sleeping, think of what we can achieve when I am awake.”

The Congress is unleashing a high-powered election campaign with Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Shashi Tharoor leading a total of 40 star campaigners. Former Union ministers A.K. Antony, Salman Khurshid, Oscar Fernandez and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy will also visit the state ahead of the polls to campaign for the party. 

In the Christian majority state of Nagaland, altogether 253 candidates including five women are in the fray for the Nagaland Assembly elections scheduled for February 27.

The political parties who filed their nominations include NPF, BJP,NDPP, NPP, INC, NCP, JD (U) and AAP. Among the heavyweights who are contesting this election are Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader and Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio and Naga People’s Front president Shurhozelie Liezetsu.

However, the Congress said it was unprepared to contest the February 27 polls in the present circumstances when a poll boycott call had been given by 11 political parties to press for a solution to the longstanding Naga insurgency issue before the election. The Congress urged the people to defeat the hidden agenda of the BJP in the state.

Stating that it was with a heavy heart that the Congress decided to contest the elections, AICC general secretary Dr. Jaya Kumar, who is also the in-charge of Nagaland elections, said that the party could not field candidates in all the 60 Assembly seats in the state under the present circumstances. After all other parties announced the list of candidates, the Congress released its list of 23 candidates. The BJP is contesting in 20 seats, its ally the newly floated NDPP 40 and the ruling NPF in 58 of the 60 Assembly constituencies.

According to Kumar, contesting the February 27 election is in total violation of the January 29 joint declaration signed by the political parties. The Congress, who has no chance of forming the next government, accused the BJP and the NDPP of letting down the people of Nagaland. 

The AICC general secretary said the Congress will fight the election on secular plank while criticizing Rio for inviting ‘Hindutva forces’ into Nagaland.

The Congress reminded the people that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to solve the Naga problem within 18 months of coming to power and wondered why no headway has been made in all these years Modi has been in power.

A frustrated Naga Hoho president Chuba Ozukum termed the Nagaland election a farce and went on to say that elections are a money festival in Nagaland.

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