A contingent of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from the state, including Health Minister AL Hek and South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai, are set to visit Garo Hills starting tomorrow in an effort to garner support for the party’s candidates in this month’s Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) election.
Both Hek and Shullai will visit Tikrikilla tomorrow before coming to Phulbari the next day. The BJP has set its sights on increasing its tally from the lone seat that it won the previous election, with many of those contesting supposedly in the run to win. The saffron party is hoping that the state leaders will further boost its prospects.
Campaigning for the Shyamnagar seat, the largest in terms of population, has been on a very active note for Congress candidate Habibuz Zaman, who is going door-to-door to garner support. His participation is being actively supported by the former two-time Congress MLA, AT Mondal. The Congress is ensuring it leaves no stone unturned in its effort to wrest the seat from the National People’s Party (NPP).
Meanwhile, the NPP candidate, Tarif Islam Sarkar, has also been on a campaign spree across the constituency. His uncle and MLA of Phulbari, SG Esmatur Mominin, has also been on the trail, even prior to the announcement of the candidature of the NPP candidate. Mominin today visited Gopalthan and Kalapani among other areas to garner support for his nephew.
The NPP expressed its confidence in ensuring the seat remained with the party despite the odds.
A total of eight candidates are vying to become the MDC for the constituency.
“Going by the response from the people I am visiting, I am confident of a very good show in the coming elections on April 12. Everywhere I went, the people have complained of the corruption of the NPP-led executive committee while the Congress is being seen as a white elephant,” said independent candidate, Salgrak Marak, who said he was happy with his campaign’s progress.
