Shillong: The BJP Central Body has declared its list of candidates for the upcoming by-polls, with Meghalaya state BJP vice president and Tura MDC, Bernard N Marak, chosen as the party’s candidate for the Gambegre by-election.
Following this announcement, the State BJP is set to hold a meeting on Wednesday with its national secretary and national spokesperson, A K Antony, who is also in charge of Meghalaya. The meeting will focus on rolling out strategies and the road map for the campaign.
State BJP chief spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang confirmed that Bernard N Marak’s name was selected from a list of three aspirants for the seat.
“With the candidate now declared, the BJP will go all out with its campaign,” said Kharkrang. He added that all units and wings of the party at various levels have been activated.
Admitting that the electoral battle in Gambegre will be a tough one, Kharkrang acknowledged the presence of major contenders, including Mehtab Chandee, the wife of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, and GHADC MDC Sadhiarani Sangma.
However, he expressed confidence, noting that Bernard, also an MDC, is popular among the masses. Over the years, the BJP has garnered significant support, he added.
Candidates from all political parties are expected to file their nominations for the Gambegre Assembly constituency, where the by-election will be held on November 13.
The seat was vacated by Saleng A Sangma of Congress, following his win in the Tura Lok Sabha constituency.
GHADC MDC Sadhiarani Sangma, the Trinamool Congress candidate, is expected to file her papers on October 23. Mehtab Chandee, representing the National People’s Party (NPP), will submit her nomination on October 24, accompanied by the chief minister and top NPP leaders. Congress candidate Jingjang M Marak, a close associate of the Tura MP, will also file his papers on the same day.
The last date for filing nominations for Gambegre is October 25, with scrutiny set for October 28. The deadline for withdrawing nominations is October 30. The election will be held on November 13, and results will be declared on November 23.
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