Shillong: As the election fever grips Meghalaya, the state is waiting for the announcement of dates for the 2023 assembly polls with bated breath. In the meantime, several parties have released the names of their candidates and the aspiring candidates have already started attacking their counterparts and are going all guns blazing to win the ‘battle of ballot’.
Former BJP MLA John Leslee Sangma, who will be contesting from the United Democratic Party (UDP) for South Tura Constituency in Garo Hills, will be up against BJP MDC Bernard Marak and ruling NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
John Leslee, a former colleague of Bernard, recently commented on the Rimpu Bagan case, which made headlines after a raid was carried out last year at Bernard’s farmhouse, from where he was accused of running a brothel.
John said Bernard has been in the news for all the wrong reasons and that the Rimpu Bagan case will be a major setback. He added, “A candidate should not have any criminal record. But in the case of Bernard Marak, he has been charged with several cases, including a POCSO case.”
“We, the people of Tura, know what actually happened in relation to the Rimpu Bagan case. He is not the right candidate for the people and I have decided to contest and challenge his candidacy. Personally, I believe that all of this will work against him and the BJP party. I urge the people of Tura to choose their candidate wisely,” said Leslee.
Bernard, who had a POCSO case against him, was granted bail by the Meghalaya High Court on November 15 due to lack of evidence against him in the sexual assault case.
John also expressed confidence in his candidacy, citing the anti-incumbency factor is likely to play a major role against the current MLA of South Tura, Conrad K Sangma. He said the Chief Minister has been showing signs of panic, which he believes will work in his favour.
“Chief minister Conrad Sangma got five years to serve his people, but in these years he didn’t have time for the people of South Tura. Sangma was never accessible for the people of his constituency,” Leslee claimed.
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The UDP South Tura candidate said he is returning after a hiatus of five years with an ideology to serve the people of the state under the new party.
Leslee was an MLA from 2013 to 2018, having been elected as an independent candidate from South Tura after defeating Congress’ Billykid A Sangma by a mere 30 votes. However, Agatha K Sangma ultimately triumphed over him in the March 2018 elections.
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