The recent defection of Victor Rani, the sitting MDC from the NPP (National People’s Party) representing Jirang, to the Congress Party has created a dilemma for the NPP regarding its candidate for the upcoming KHADC election.
After joining the Congress, Rani has sought a party ticket to contest the election, leaving the NPP scrambling to finalise its candidate.
Amidst growing speculation, voices from within the Jirang block party suggest that the current MLA of Jirang, Sosthenes Sohtun, might be fielded as the NPP’s candidate. As of now, three aspirants have sought the NPP ticket for the – Kitboklang Khongiong, Albertus Lapang and Balawan Syiemiong. However, the emergence of the MLA’s name as a potential contender has intensified discussions and if the party cannot arrive at a consensus it may ultimately result in the MLA contesting the election.
This confusion within the NPP over selecting a candidate for Jirang arose after Rani quit the NPP to join the Congress. He claimed that his departure was due to the NPP’s refusal to grant him a ticket to contest the MDC election.
Following Rani’s allegations, the NPP leadership in the Jirang unit convened an urgent meeting to deliberate on the matter. However, despite extensive discussions, no decision could be reached regarding the ticket allocation among the three aspirants. Present at the meeting were Sohtun, who also serves as the president of the NPP’s Jirang unit, district NPP president Clement Mawlong and other leaders.
Many party leaders have expressed their preference for Sohtun to contest the MDC election. However, the MLA refrained from making any immediate commitment at the meeting, stating that a final decision would be taken after further consultations among Jirang unit leaders.
