SHILLONG, OCT 28: The Lok Janshakti Party, an ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the centre, today said it is fielding “suitable and clean” candidates to contest from at least 30 seats in the upcoming state Assembly elections to be held early next year.
“Our target is to contest in at least 30 seats depending on the availability of suitable and clean candidates,” LJP state president Jamil Ahmed told reporters after announcing the party’s first list of candidates for two of the 60 Assembly seats here on Saturday.
Unlike other political parties, who are gearing up to welcome sitting legislators, the LJP however maintained that it does not believe in pouring “old wine in new bottle”.
“We are concentrating more on bringing new faces into the fray as we do not want prominent politicians who are used to corruption because we don’t want to put old wine in new bottle,” Ahmed said.
He further cited that the People Democratic Front (PDF), though it is newly floated regional political party in the state but it is welcoming the same people who were earlier with other parties.
Asked, Ahmed said that this is because that the main goal of the party is to ensure good governance, corruption free government and over all development in the state especially in the rural areas.
“We have had prominent people who were in the helm of affairs for 45 years but they did nothing for Meghalaya. Where is development in Meghalaya? People in rural areas are being neglected,” he added.
The LJP leader however asserted that they would welcome the sitting legislators only provided that they are ready to abide and work under the norms laid down by the party.
The Lok Janshakti Party today said they have plans to contest in at least 30 seats in Meghalaya even as they announced candidates for at least two of the 60 Assembly seats in the state.
Whether the LJP is keen to work with the BJP in view that they are partners at the Centre, Ahmed however pointed out that the scenario in Meghalaya is different and maintained that the LJP prefer to contest the upcoming poll in 2018 separately.
“We are not keen to have any pre-poll alliance with the BJP,” he said while stating that the LJP is also not in line with the BJP on many issues that affected the people be it beef ban and others.
On the performance of the ruling Congress-led state government, the LJP state president said that the present government has totally failed to deliver adding “Many programmes were not implemented in the way it should be.”
Meanwhile, the LJP has announced its candidate for Pynursla in East Khasi Hills district and Selsella in West Garo Hills district.
Arelitha K Sangma, a former member of the Aam Admi Party, is all set to contest against cabinet minister Clement Marak from Selsella constituency.
On the other hand, Denis Tynsiar will contest against Prestone Tynsong, a sitting Congress legislator from Pynursla, who was also a former Minister in the Meghalaya United Alliance government led by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
Meanwhile, Ahmed also claimed that the LJP has enrolled around one lakh members so far, who spread across all the 11 districts of Meghalaya. He claimed that more leaders and grassroots workers would also join LJP.
“Since 2008 we have joined the electoral battle in Meghalaya and our presence has been felt,” he said.
It may be mentioned here that the LJP had fielded only four candidates in the last 2013 Assembly election, but drew a blank.
Asked on the poor performance of the party in the state, Ahmed however said it was due to the failure to flash the party’s policies and programmes
Like the LJP, the Opposition United Democratic Party and the Hills State Peoples Democratic Party and the Peoples Democratic Front has announced the list of candidates contesting the 2018 elections.
By Our Reporter
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