Congress bickering ahead of Chokpot by polls

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, June 16: Subtle interl bickering in the Congress party is expected to have an impact on its candidate Bluebell R Sangma in the Chokpot by polls due on June 27.

The bickering is virtually a spillover of the ongoing wrangling at the state party where the present Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is accused of calling the shots in ming Bluebell R Sangma as the candidate.

“Bluebell R. Sangma is the wife of the late NCP legislator Mason Singh Sangma and she joined our party only on May 20th”, stated a senior functiory of the state Congress party while informing that the routine party procedures were not adhered while allotting party candidature. The dejected party functiories have even complained to the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPPC) saying that neither the Block Congress Committee (BCC) nor the District Congress Committee (DCC) was fully aware of the state leadership’s choice on the candidate.

The Congress functiory said, “Majority of our party foot soldiers have refrained themselves from going all out to ensure the party official candidate all out victory”, adding that the odds are stack against the party at this juncture.

Speaking to The Sentinel on Tuesday, MPCC Working President Deborah Marak said, “I have heard certain rumours about such disgruntlement, but collectively we will work to make our candidate win the by elections”. Known as a Mukul Sangma baiter in the past one year, Deborah Marak however refused to answer on the alleged arbitrary role of the Chief Minister in nomiting a month old member as a party candidate.

“As discipline soldiers of the party we are bound to campaign for our candidates success”, she stated while describing herself as a self made leader who will go all out for the party cause.

However, the discreet rumblings has come out as a good news to the Garo tiol Council candidate Kalpa D Sangma and tiol Peoples’ Party’s Phillipole D Marak . There are four contenders in the fray for the by polls to Chokpot, a constituency known for being infested by militants.