The fight for the Rajabala Assembly seat is hotting up, with huge crowds being recorded by both the National Peoples’ Party (NPP) and the Congress.
A rally yesterday by the Congress saw thousands of supporters come to listen to Congress leader Dr Mukul Sangma, who shared the dais with party colleague Marthon J Sangma, former NPP leader turned Congress supporter Mizanur Rehman Kazi and the party candidate, Hasina Yasmin Mondal, the widow of the late Dr Azad Zaman, whose death necessitated the by-election to be held on October 30.
Speaking at the gathering yesterday, Dr Sangma informed that the Congress candidate is the first woman from the minority community to contest elections from the plains belt.
“This is history in the making. This is the first time that a woman from the community will be fighting for the seat at Rajabala. Let’s come together for this history. You believe that this place itself has leaders, so it is time now to prove it,” asserted the Congress party leader.
The rally was held in the village of Rajabala, just next to the residence of Mondal.
Dr Kazi, in his speech, tore into the NPP and its candidate, Abdus Saleh.
“The NPP has made this an election for the prestige of the Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma. It is now time for you to decide whether the prestige of the CM is more important than that of our own constituency,” he stated.
“No one in our area heard of Abdus Saleh prior to the 2013 election, despite him being a minister. It was only after Mahendraganj became a reserved (Scheduled Tribe) seat that he tried to meet with our people. He has done nothing for the sake of the people of Rajabala despite contesting from here on two occasions. He didn’t even come forward to help when we were reeling under floods for the past two years. His only aim is to become an MLA from here,” asserted Dr Kazi.
The fight for the Rajabala seat is quickly turning into a three-way battle, though, with the United Democratic Party’s Ashahel D Shira also being a very strong contender.
Rajabala will see as many as five contestants fighting it out in an effort to represent the people of the constituency, with the by-election result to be announced on November 2.
