BJP announces candidates for Meghalaya, Nagaland
The Hindu
The Meghalaya list includes the name of Martin M. Danggo, who was the National People’s Party candidate from the Ranikor seat till a month ago
GUWAHATI
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday announced the names of its candidates for Assembly elections in Meghalaya and Nagaland with hardly any surprises, despite some last-minute additions from other political parties. Both States go to the polls on February 27.
The party is contesting all 60 seats in the Meghalaya Assembly and 20 seats in Nagaland according to a seat-sharing agreement with its ally, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which is fighting in the remaining 40 constituencies.
Meghalaya has had a history of political parties – national or regional – not carrying their alliance to the polls, invariably opting for a post-election tie-up if the situation demands.
The Meghalaya list has the name of Martin M. Danggo as the BJP candidate from the Ranikor constituency, less than a month after the National People’s Party (NPP) had nominated him from the same seat. A former Assembly Speaker, he had won the 2018 election on a Congress ticket but had switched over to the NPP.
Among the other turncoats in the BJP Meghalaya list are Ferlin C.A. Sangma (Selsella seat) and Himalaya M. Shangpliang (Mawsynram) who crossed over from the NPP and the Trinamool Congress respectively, a few days ago.
Apart from retaining MLAs Alexander L. Hek (Pynthorumkhrah), Sanbor Shullai (South Shillong) and a few others, the BJP has fielded former extremist and State vice-president Bernard N. Marak from the South Tura constituency opposite the NPP’s national president and Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.