CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Senior Meghalaya BJP leader A L Hek has hinted that the party may not contest all 29 seats in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections expected to be held later this year. Making the party's position clear, Hek said the BJP would adopt a selective, winnability-driven approach and would not field candidates "from the street" as it sharpens its electoral strategy for the crucial council polls.
With the festive season over and political activity regaining momentum across the Garo Hills, the BJP's top leadership has signalled a clear shift from token participation to calibrated political engagement. The party is prioritizing candidate credibility, organizational strength and electoral arithmetic over blanket seat coverage.
Speaking to media persons, Hek asserted that the party is determined to avoid repeating past mistakes of fielding unsuitable candidates merely to fill seats, stressing that introspection and course correction are now central to the BJP's GHADC roadmap.
Emphasizing that the number of seats the party contests will depend entirely on the quality of candidates available, Hek said, "It depends on how many good candidates we get. We do not want to pick just any candidate, as has happened in the past, where candidates were picked up from the street. We do not want this to happen again."
He further cautioned against repeating past errors, stating, "We do not want to repeat the same mistakes again and again that we have made in the past. Now we have to be very careful, study the situation properly and ensure that when we contest, it is a straight and fair contest with candidates from different political parties in the GHADC elections."
Indicating that the party has already activated its grassroots machinery, Hek said political surveys and organizational strengthening are being pursued simultaneously to consolidate the BJP's base in the region.
Outlining the party's twin-pronged strategy, he added, "We are not only conducting surveys; at the same time, we are enrolling members to strengthen the party organization."
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