BJP confident to win Shella seat

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 27, 2019

SHILLONG: The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is backing the NPP-led MDA government, has decided to field Joshua Warjri as the official candidate of the party for the bye-election to the Shella Assembly seat. 

Wajri’s candidature was announced by UDP leader and South Shillong legislator Sanbor Shullai in the presence of the state president Shibun Lyngdoh on Friday. 

“We appeal to the electorate of the Shella constituency to vote for Warjri, for the BJP and for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the overall development of Shella and Meghalaya,” Shullai said. 

The MLA also urged the party functionaries to work hard for ensuring victory to the party. 

The October 21- bye election was necessitated following the death of former Assembly Speaker and UDP chief late Dr Donkupar Roy on July 28.

Warjri, a businessman from Ichamati village will be contesting against the Dr Donkupar’s son Balajied Kupar Synrem from the UDP. 

BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh informed that leaders from the centre as well as from the region will be campaigning in the state to drum up support for the party’s candidate. 

“We expect the central leadership to send DoNER minister Jitendra Singh and other ministers besides Himanta Biswa Sarma, the incharge of North East Democratic Alliance and chief ministers of NE states to come and campaign for our candidate,” he said. 

Expressing confidence that the BJP will win the Shella seat, Lyngdoh said this is because people are aware of the developmental schemes launched by the Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, who has also brought Kashmir under one India by revoking Article 370. 

“The BJP is a party who believes in inclusive development unlike other parties who believe in divide and rule policy,” he said.

Stating that Shella is a seat where one can win with only 7,000 votes, the state president  claimed that it is also a constituency where the BJP is having its vote bank. 

In the last year’s Assembly election, the BJP managed to get over 2280 votes while a total of 4770 votes in the Lok Sabha elections, he said adding that the over 5,000 people from Shella constituency have also enrolled as members during the enrolment drive from June 6 to August 7.   

Following an appeal, the National People’s Party has announced its decision to support the United Democratic Party by not fielding any candidate for the Shella by poll. 

Asked, Lyngdoh however said the People Democratic Front has decided to join the fray and the BJP as a national party cannot surrender and it has decided to contest the bye election to maintain its presence in the constituency.

“Moreover, you have seen the NPP did not contest from Shillong parliamentary seat but even then they could not get through and the Congress instead got more votes,” he said adding “We are contesting to win the election and not to favour any party.” 

Shullai added that it does not matter who wins the Shella by poll but the MDA will ensure the Congress will not win. 

Later while speaking to reporters, Warjri assured to bring change for overall development of the Shella constituency. He said that he is for the upliftment of the down trodden besides promoting education in the constituency.