The Congress party’s Pynshngain N Syiem today received a boost in his bid to unseat the BJP’s AL Hek in the Pynthorumkhrah Assembly seat after 50 members of the saffron party quit to join the Congress.
They were led by BJP mandal general secretary Phillby Lyngdoh and former NCP candidate Predecessor Rumnong.
Syiem, who is the MDC of the area, said that they had all joined the Congress with one major agenda, to bring change to the constituency after 25 years of having Hek as their Assembly representative.
“There are many issues that need to be addressed,” Syiem said today. “Twenty-five years under MLA AL Hek – Pynthorumkhrah people will know better without me explaining. There has been zero development with no playground or any recreational centre for children and there is no water supply. The people today are of one mind and that is to support the Congress.”
The BJP has yet to announce its list of candidates for the election but it expected that Hek – one of just two MLAs the party has in the outgoing legislature – will receive the Pynthor ticket.
Rumnong said that the constituency has so much potential for development but has not seen any progress under Hek’s leadership. He alleged that there is no proper community hall and that people had a lot of expectations but nothing has been done for them.
Pynthorumkhrah has a mixed population consisting of tribals and non-tribals. There are 15 polling stations in the constituency with approximately 31,000 electors.
Speaking about his preparedness for the February 27 election, Syiem, the former MLA for Mawsynram, said that any fight will be difficult.
“As of now there are many candidates coming up like mushrooms in Pynthorumkhrah…I am an MDC and have had a long innings in politics, so I know the art of politics,” Syiem said.
Other opponents he will face include the NPP’s Rocky Hek (who is the nephew of AL Hek) and independent candidate Samborlang Diengdoh (who only recently quit the TMC after he was named as the party’s choice).
