After the defection of the sitting Jirang MDC Victor Rani to the Congress Party, the National People’s Party (NPP) looks set to field Jirang MLA Sosthenes Sohtun as its candidate for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) seat.
The NPP’s Jirang block unit has, after extensive deliberations, decided that fielding Sohtun would be the party’s best bet to hold on to the seat.
Rani had joined the Congress in December as he suspected that he was not going to get the NPP ticket for the upcoming MDC election.
His departure resulted in three individuals vying for the NPP ticket, namely Albertus Lapang, Kitbok Khongiong and Balawan Syiemiong. However, due to time constraints, the party unanimously decided to field Sohtun, who has name recognition and a loyal following.
The decision to field Sohtun was taken during a meeting held today at Byrnihat, attended by higher-ups of the NPP Jirang block unit, representatives of the National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) and the NPP women’s wing from within the Jirang constituency.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Siewdor Syngkli, president of the NPYF Jirang block, and RU Kharbani, spokesperson of the NPP women’s wing, expressed confidence in the decision. They said that Sohtun has demonstrated strong leadership and has overwhelming support among party leaders, supporters and the public.
They dismissed any concerns about the impact of Rani’s departure, asserting that it would not affect the party’s performance.
