HT Bureau
SHILLONG, Jan 31: With issuance of the gazette notification for elections to the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, the election process for February 27 hustings in the state has kick started. Three candidates have filed nominations on day one in Shillong.
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A former cabinet minister of the state, Ampareen Lyngdoh from the National People’s Party (NPP) was among candidates who filed their nomination papers on Tuesday. Lyngdoh, who recently joined NPP by shifting allegiance from Congress, is contesting the polls from the East Shillong Legislative Assembly Constituency where she had won as a Congress candidate in the Assembly Election of 2018.
She was accompanied by her sister Dr Jasmine Lyngdoh, who also filed her nomination papers and is contesting assembly elections for the first time. Dr Jasmine Lyngdoh is contesting from Nongthymmai constituency on a National People’s Party (NPP) ticket.
In addition, independent candidate Pynshai Manik Syiem also filed his nomination on Tuesday for Mylliem constituency. The last date for filing of nominations is February 7 while scrutiny of papers will take place the next day. The counting of votes will take place on March 2.
Families and supporters accompanied the two sisters while filing their nominations at the deputy commissioner’s office in Shillong.
Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh has served as a Member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly since 2008. She was the sole female member of the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly from 2008 to 2013.
Speaking to the media, she said, “It has always been the tradition of my family since my father (L) Peter G Marbaniang, my late brother bah RG Lyngdoh, to always file in the first hour and the first day and in order to keep up that tradition we have come to file our nominations today.”
“I have won four previous elections and I have served my people, there is a high probability that my support will now expand and reach more people. My principle always as a legislator is to ensure that we involve grassroots in all decisions taken, involve the people, listen to what they say, build policies, prepare programs, address infrastructure, address everything else as the needs of the people as I visit them in their homes,” she further said.
