Congress Minister may join UDP

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Oct 18: A Minister in the Dr Mukul Sangma Cabinet may contest from the United Democratic Party (UDP), if one is to believe a legislator from a rival political party.

According to tiol People’s Party (NPP) MLA from Songsak Nihim D Shira, Williamgar legislator and School Education & Literacy Minister Debora C Marak is contemplating to contest from the UDP, if she is denied a Congress ticket.

“It is uncertain whether Debora will get a ticket from the Congress. If Sengbat R Marak gets the Congress ticket, she might contest on UDP ticket,” Shira said. According to the NPP legislator from Songsak, the Minister had recently attended a meeting held at the house of current UDP candidate from Williamgar Maham Sing M Sangma. “During that meeting, Maham Sing made it categorically clear that he is ready to sacrifice his ticket for Debora,” Shira claimed. The NPP leader also asserted that his party’s candidate from Williamgar Marcuise N Marak will defeat Debora in the 2018 election. “She is going to lose very badly,” Shira said. It may be mentioned that in 2013, Debora stched the seat from the NPP candidate securing 8,402 votes, while Marcuise came a distant third getting 4,771 votes.

The NPP legislator said many candidates with Congress connections will be contesting the 2018 Assembly polls thereby dividing the Congress votes. Shira claimed that apart from Sengbat, who will join the fray irrespective of him getting a Congress ticket or not, there are others like Jothone Sangma and Maham Sing M Sangma from the UDP. All the three were origilly from the Congress.