The Voice of the People Party (VPP) today said that the list of party candidates for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) was approved by its State Executive Committee as per the party’s constitution.
VPP spokesperson, Batskhem Myrboh said that in the constitution of the party there is no provision that the name of a candidate should be recommended by the MLA, MDC or MP.
Myrboh said that for the upcoming District Council election the party has allowed aspirants to send their applications to the State Election Committee and in return the committee asked for feedback from constituencies on the probable candidates.
“The State Election Committee after getting the feedback decided on the best candidate,” he said.
On objection raised by North Shillong MLA, Adelbert Nongrum on the choice of candidates from the two constituencies of Jaiaw-Mawprem and Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah, Myrboh said that in the first instance the legislator had asked for the postponement of the meeting to decide on the candidates since he was not in town.
According to Myrboh, the meeting for the two constituencies was shifted to November 8 during which Nongrum again stated that the names of candidates were not recommended by him and one candidate of his choice was approved to contest from another constituency.
According to the VPP spokesperson, Nongrum was categorically informed that there is nothing in the party’s constitution which states that the names of candidates recommended by a MLA should be considered by the party.
“If that was the case, who would recommend a candidate’s name during an Assembly election? If we allow MLAs to recommend names of candidates, then the MDCs will also say that they too should be allowed to recommend names of candidates,” Myrboh said.
