Bharatiya Janata Party To Field Sanbor Shullai From Shillong

Staff Correspondent

Shillong: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to field Sanbor Shullai as the candidate for the Shillong Parliamentary seat. Shullai’s name figured in the party’s third list that was announced in New Delhi.

Shullai’s name was not in the original list sent by the State BJP leadership and it popped up only in the past 8 to 10 days. By noon, Shullai was at the party office and held parleys with the State leaders.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Shullai expressed his optimism that he will win the polls.

He also stated that this is a national election and people in the State wanted to vote for a change “Under the Narendra Modi government, there has been huge inflow of funds in the State. The people knows that he will return as the Prime Minister and this will even effect a change in the voters mindset”, the BJP candidate stated. It may be mentioned that the Shillong has long been a bastion of the Congress party.

Asked specifically on whether the public umbrage against the BJP over the Citizen Amendment Bill (CAB) will have a negative impact on his chance, Shullai said, “The CAB is a dead issue now and for the moment, I will not comment on those who are talking about bringing the proposed legislation back.”

State BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh was also asked on his observation on the words of Amit Shah to bring the CAB back. He said, “The CAB has not been taken up in the Rajya Sabha and probably the President is thinking of re-soliciting the people’s voice on the issue.”

On being asked about the time factor especially when the party has only 20 days to prepare, Lyngdoh said, “We may not have the time to campaign extensively but the party being a cadre-base organization has workers right down to the booth level to deliver the goods.”

For the Shillong seat, the candidates are sitting Congress MP Vincent Pala, UDP nominee Jemino Mawthoh, KHNAM nominee THS Bonnie, Independent candidate Samuel Hahshah and Sanbor Shullai.

On Tura seat which the party is not fielding a candidate, Lyngdoh said that have forwarded the names of four leaders but they have not been cleared by the national election committee.

Asked on whom the party will support for Tura parliamentary constituency, Shibun Lyngdoh said that the workers have been given a free hand to support anybody except the Congress party. Tura will witness a direct fight between the NPP candidate Agatha Sangma and Mukul Sangma of the Congress.

Also read: Meghalaya News