12 parties to contest Meghalaya polls

From a correspondent

Shillong, Jan 17: Altogether 12 political parties, including regiol and tiol, have announced their plans to contest the 2018 Assembly polls in Meghalaya. Meghalaya has a 60-member Assembly.

The parties going to contest the forthcoming Assembly polls include the Congress, BJP, tiol People’s Party (NPP), tiolist Congress Party (NCP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Khun Hynniewtrep tiol Awakening Movement (KHM), Garo tiol Council (GNC), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Republican Party of India - Athawale (RPI-A). Of these 12, the front runners are the Congress, NPP, BJP, UDP, HSPDP and the PDF.

The Congress, which is presently leading the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA- II) government, will put up candidates in all the 60 seats. The NPP till date has announced the mes of 51 candidates. So far, only the UDP-HSPDP and GNC have announced for a pre-poll alliance. While the UDP-HSPDP is in alliance exclusively in Khasi-Janitia Hills region which has 36 seats, the UDP is going along with the GNC in Garo Hills region which has 24 seats.

The BJP, which is in power at the Centre, has recently stated that it will put up candidates in all the 60 seats.

The newly formed PDF, under the leadership of former Congress rebel legislator from Mawsynram Pynshngaiñ N Syiem, has announced the mes of 23 candidates till date.

The NCP, under the leadership of Saleng A Sangma, recently stated that it will put up candidates in at least 40 seats, while the KHM which is based in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region intends to set up candidates in 15 seats.

The LJP too has made it clear that it will be fielding candidates for the upcoming polls in the State. The two parties that will be making its debut in the State are the AAP and RPI (A).

The State unit of RPI (A), a faction led by Ramdas Athawale, is likely to field candidates in 10 seats. Apart from these parties, a large number of independents candidates are also likely to contest the polls.