A correspondent
Boko: “The NPP is now embraced by the people as it is moving forward on the path of comprehensive development,” said Gardinal Sohshang, NPP Candidate of 29 Mawshyrut District Council Constituency ahead of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) elections which will be held on 21st February, 2025. “Therefore my campaigning is going well and people show their interest and hopes towards the National People’s Party (NPP), because the present Meghalaya state government runned by the NPP.” said Gardinal Sohshang at his residence in Jenepih village in Riangdo, West Khasi Hills district.
Gardinal Sohshang further said that after winning he will work for Protect of Khasi Customary, village administration and the Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration Bill, 2020. It is worth mentioning that the Bill seeks to penalise non-tribals using Khasi surnames and codify and regulate the system of Kur (clan) of the Khasi-Jaintia tribe. It also provides for proper administration of clans in order to conserve and grow the traditional matrilineal system of the Khasi society for the protection of their interest and prevent claims of Khasi status by unscrupulous persons purely for benefits, concessions or privileges conferred on the Khasis for being STs.
Regarding the contest with NPP, Gardinal expressed his opinion, “Though six other candidates have contested in the KHADC election in this Mawshynrut constituency, as of now, my opponent is the Hill State People’s democratic Party (HSPDP).” Gardinal Said that more than forty thousand voters in this Mawshynrut constituency, which includes around ten thousand voters from Garo community and rest are from Khasi community. Gardinal expects that he will get fifteen to twenty thousand votes in this election. However, it is to be mentioned that HSPDP candidate Methodius Dkhar won by 5187 votes margin with NPP candidate and former MLA Gigur Myrthong in the last Meghalaya State Assembly election, 2023.
Gardinal said, “As we compare, the last Meghalaya State Assembly Election 2023, there were only three to four political parties contesting in this constituency, but this time several political parties including NPP, BJP, INC, HSPDP, VPP, UDP and one independent candidate has contesting and therefore I am full confident to win in this Mawshynrut Constituency. People of the Mawshynrut constituency understand that the NPP runs the state government and the NPP candidate will bring the development in this constituency, therefore I am surely confident to win this KHADC election.” It is to be mentioned that the NPP will contest in the 25 constituencies out of 29 constituencies and the rest constituencies are 20 Mawlai, 19 Jaiaw, 15 Laban- Mawprem and 8 Nongkrem, where NPP has not contested.
Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) is an autonomous district council in the state of Meghalaya. It covers West Khasi Hills district, Eastern West Khasi Hills district, East Khasi Hills district and Ri Bhoi district. It is one of the three autonomous district councils within Meghalaya. The other two Councils are Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
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