NPP confident of forming EC in KHADC and JHADC next year

“We are determine to form the government in both the KHADC and JHADC by winning on our own,” NPP state president WR Kharlukhi told journalists after a meeting to welcome the formal joining of former BJP leaders from Jaintia Hills into the party’s fold here on Tuesday.

With the opposition Congress witnessing setbacks in both the ADCs as most of its elected members have shifted their allegiance by joining other parties in absence of the tenth schedule, Kharlukhi also said the fight in the upcoming MDC elections will be mainly between the NPP and the United Democratic Party (UDP).

He claimed that the NPP at present has got the highest vote shares followed by the UDP and next is the opposition Congress.

Asked on the preparation of the party, the state president said that the party has already set up the election committees for the selection of candidates who will be contesting in the elections to the two district councils.

While the election committee for JHADC is being headed by C&RD minister Sniawbhalang Dhar and for KHADC by the NPP working president, he said.

Also announcing that the party would be contesting from all the 29 seats each in KHADC and JHADC, Kharlukhi informed that the party will soon invite applications from interested candidates.

When asked on the tentative month for the party to announce the list of candidates, he however said, “We have only set the ball rolling so it will take sometime as they will be sitting as an election committee.”

Meanwhile, the three who joined the NPP today include a former deputy chairman of JHADC Seiborlang Shadap and two former leaders of the BJP East Jaintia Hills – Zosiama Thianglai (vice president) and Rolling Dkhar (organizing secretary).

All of them have decided to contest the upcoming 2019 elections to the JHADC and urged the NPP to consider allotting tickets to them with the assurance to put up a good fight.

While Shadap, who lost in 2014 elections by 19 votes, is seeking re-election from Sutnga-Narwan constituency, Thianglai, a former youth leader from Saipung area, is looking forward to contest from Saipung constituency and Dkhar from Soomer constituency.

Thianglai had also earlier unsuccessfully contested in the 2014 MDC elections.

Asked on the reason for quiting the BJP, Thianglai and Dkhar said that they have decided to join the NPP, which is growing fast in the state and also after seeing that the BJP has allegedly collapsed in the state due to “communal reasons”.

The former BJP East Jaintia Hills vice president also informed that the BJP has been dissolved in Saipung area.

By Our Reporter