Shillong: Gearing up for elections to the 60-member assembly in Meghalaya slated early next year, the state Congress on Wednesday shortlisted the names of 46 candidates to be recommended to the Party’s central election committee (CEC) for approval, party leaders said.
“We were able to shortlist the names for 46 assembly constituencies. The whole exercise revolves around the winability of the aspirants,” Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma told reporters here.
The Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) of the Meghalaya Congress today met in the presence of AICC observers D Shandil and S Bhapna for scrutinizing the applications of more than 140 aspirants for the party’s tickets.
Sangma said, “The PEC has further kept in abeyance the names with regard to six constituencies for some other reasons which will be decided later on.”
“However for the rest eight constituencies, the committee has created a panel to suggest names for each of the constituencies”, the Congress leader said.
He said, “Our exercise is limited to analyzing, assessing and adopting certain parameters which actually revolves around the winability of the candidates, besides other aspects.”
The lists submitted will subsequently be scrutinized at the central election committee level and the final list of approval will be known to us only after the AICC provides, Sangma informed.
On asked about the tickets to the sitting MLAs, CM said, “This aspect is confidential and cannot be disclosed adding that the names of the candidates will be announced at an appropriate and advantageous time.”
Stating that the state for so long had not had a
single majority party government, the Congress leader said, “We are looking at this aspects too and we have firm belief that people of Meghalaya who are vigilant, enlightened and responsive to the needs of the state and equally responsible will definitely utilize their wisdom.”
“We expect we will receive the support and confident of the people of the state”, he added.
AICC general secretary Dhaniram Shandil said, “Our purpose is to see that the exercise being done today goes to the CEC and that the names are announced in a reasonably good time for candidates to have enough time to prepare themselves.”
Shandil said, “I am sure the leadership in the state has done its very best and people of Meghalaya will ensure that Congress is in power and we will have a very stable and good government to serve our people.”
Admitting that Meghalaya should encourage participation of women, Shandil said, “A time should come in Meghalaya that we should have sufficient number of women candidates contesting in the elections.”
“We must have our female candidates coming forward but based on merits and acceptability to the people”, he added.
PTI
