HT Bureau
DIPHU, May 26: Langpher Member of Autonomous Council (MAC) constituency is one of the constituencies that have the highest number of contestants for the ensuing election to Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong, the polling for which is on June 8.
The Congress has fielded Purnima Ronghangpi, the daughter of its president, Karbi Anglong District Congress Committee, Sum Ronghang, while Congress leader Phuding Terang, a rebel candidate is contesting as an Independent.
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The sitting MAC Ramsing Timung was denied the ruling party ticket and the BJP has fielded a new face, Madhuram Lekthe. The All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) has fielded Kong Rongpi, while the ASDC has fielded Harsing Bey and CPI (ML) Longkiram Tokbi; Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Jiten Rongpi and the Gana Suraksha Party has fielded Hariprasad Konwar. The Karbi Rong Asar Amei (KRAA) is supporting Independent candidate Ratan Terang, while the third Independent candidate is Rupsing Engti.
There are altogether 10 candidates in the fray.
The BJP candidate, Madhuram Lekthe wooing voters in an election campaign meeting at Sikari Pathor Namghar said, “There are many contenders for party ticket. I also as a loyal party worker submitted my papers for party candidature. I was not serious about getting the ticket because as a loyal party worker getting a ticket is not my top priority. But as luck would have it I got the ticket.”
“As it is election time and unlike other leaders, I am not making useless promises, but the problems and necessity of the place is close to my heart and if I win the election I will solve the problems,” he said.
Expressing confidence of winning the election, Lekthe said that in the next five years the people will see many changes in Langpher.
On the other hand, the KRAA supported independent candidate Ratan Terang criticised the BJP candidate Lekthe for calling them “naked party” referring to the protest stage in Diphu when they, Terang included, took off their clothes.
Terang said, “Madhuram Lekthe has called us naked party. How can he utter such words to Rong Asar – traditional village headmen, who get respect and honour in Karbi society. This shows he doesn’t know how to give respect to Rong Asar.”
He alleged that on Wednesday a few BJP workers had gone to disrupt his meeting at Sodarso, Phonglokpet. Terang said a division is already seen in the BJP camp. There is a difference between the old and new BJP. While giving party tickets the RSS has taken a larger share than the BJP.
Terang said if he wins the election, he promised construction of Hongpharla – an open shed in every traditional village head’s residence, upliftment of education, introduction of Science and Commerce stream at Rukasen College, Bakulia and development of Langpher.
On the campaign trail, the BJP candidate of Hamren MAC constituency in West Karbi Anglong, Mangalsing Timung toured booth committee areas such as Nizrongkhang, Malong, Rongchindon and Rongkarbi of his constituency to woo voters.
While addressing a campaign meeting, he appealed to the voters to elect him so that he could fulfil his dream projects. Timung informed that several crores of rupees are being sanctioned to make Hamren a model township. He said the BJP is bound to come back to power.
He was accompanied by the general secretary of BJP, West Karbi Anglong District Committee, Richardson Hanse and others.
Congress candidate Rupesh Bey who is contesting from Hamren constituency against Timung is also not lagging behind. He has extensively toured at the grassroots level. He criticised the BJP as communal, dividing the peaceful society on the basis of religion.
APHLC candidate of Hamren, Angtong Engti Kathar has a considerable following among the youths. They’re seen campaigning and have made their presence in social media. Independent candidate Jonathan Tokbi is rounding up his relatives in order to garner votes.
In Karbi Anglong, the BJP candidate of 10 Howraghat MAC constituency, Ajit Kumar Dey has opened his election office at Howraghat which was inaugurated by him in presence of BJP workers Bhaskar Handique, Rukma Tokbi, Hanta Rongpi, Gautam Ingti, Ananta Rajbongshi and Budheswar Teron.
