Meghalaya: NPP prioritizes ‘winability’ over loyalty for GHADC poll tickets

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) has made it clear that “winability over loyalty” will determine who gets the ticket for the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.  The move, which places electoral performance above allegiance, could see several sitting MDCs being denied tickets if their on-ground record fails to impress the leadership.

Marcuise N. Marak, the State Working President and Convener of the NPP Election Committee, has dropped a political bombshell that could unsettle several sitting MDCs banking on seniority and loyalty. “Well, for GHADC elections from NPP party, we have already given a notification to the intending candidates to apply for the party sponsorship. We have already given the notification on 9th October, so the final date for receiving applications will be on 14th of November. So we started receiving the applications seeking party sponsorship from different candidates,” Marak stated, confirming that the selection process has been set in motion.

His remarks hint at a power recalibration within the NPP, as party strategists prepare to prioritise electoral strength over emotional allegiance. “Asked, is the party willing to give first preference to the sitting MDC while distributing tickets for the upcoming GHADC elections or what is the criteria? Our criteria will be winability,” Marak said firmly, underscoring that grassroots consultations and field reports will determine the final list. “So therefore it will depend on the grassroots party leaders, party workers. We will seek clarification before distributing party tickets—like primary leaders, block committee, district committee leaders—we will be hearing them once we receive the application. From each constituency, we will be sorting out how many candidates are applied for each constituency. Based on that we will do the research and they will be examined who will be the fittest candidate to get NPP ticket.”

The message is loud and clear: being an incumbent no longer guarantees a ticket. “Asked will being the sitting MDC be the first criteria to get the party ticket or winability? He said from the beginning, NPP’s condition is that winability is the criteria, it has been the criteria in MLA election also, it is not the fact that one who is loyal to the party, though the loyalty is also counted, but number one our criteria is winability. So therefore this election also winability is the criteria for NPP,” Marak reiterated.

The Election Committee’s recent notification has formalised the process. It invites applications from aspiring candidates seeking NPP sponsorship to contest the GHADC Election 2026, open from October 15 to November 14, 2025. Application forms are available at the NPP’s Nodal Office in Hawakhana, Tura, and at the district offices in East, West, South, North, and South West Garo Hills between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The form must be submitted with a non-refundable fee of Rs 25,000 along with caste, educational, and identity documents.

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