Vincent Pala keen to contest from Sutnga-Saipung, Cong identifies 40 candidates for 2023 polls

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 25, 2022

Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief and Shillong MP Vincent H Pala on Monday expressed his keen interest to contest from Sutnga-Saipung constituency in the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections.

“I am very keen to contest (if we don’t have a good candidate) since most of the senior leaders have left us and some of them are about to leave us so whatever resources we have we should utilize it,” Pala told reporters.

The MPCC president also informed that he would convene a block meeting in his village on May 3, to finalise the candidate.

Stating that he would also have to discuss with the party high command on the matter, he said, “I had an initial discussion with them and told them that if you don’t have a proper candidate, I may contest. So they told me that they will send the information.”

Pala also informed he would also lead a delegation to Delhi for attending a party meeting tomorrow.

Asked, the Congress leader said the party has already identified over 40 candidates and most of them are already working on the ground. He however said the Congress will be ready with a list of 60 candidates by September-October and that the process of screening the candidates is on in the remaining constituencies.

He added that the party normally does not announce the list of candidates in advance due to some reasons. He cited, “because some of the seats when you announce the candidates in case there are two-three aspirants then they are likely to leave the party and likely to file as a rebel candidate – to minimize all those be it in Congress and other parties normally we do not announce the candidates in advance.”

Meanwhile, Pala said that the Congress is extra cautious in view of poaching against its leaders and workers by other political parties.

“We are quite active almost everyday (preparing for the elections) but we did not want to show to the press too much because they (other parties) will try to purchase our president, our candidate and even the CLP has been taken by them – so now we are cautious. Now they are trying to take our different office bearers, be it in the district or block so we are very careful now,” he stated.