Meghalaya CM, Agatha Sangma file nominations

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Manda Sangma on Tuesday filed his nomination papers for the February 27 assembly polls from Ampati assembly constituency.

Sangma, who has been winning for five consecutive terms from Ampati constituency since 1993 but will also be filing his nomination papers from Songsak assembly seat on Wednesday, said the Congress will return to power with a "thumping" majority for the fourth consecutive term.

Urban Affairs Minister, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh, former Chief Minister Salseng C. Marak and Sangma's wife Dikkanchi D. Shira filed their nomination papers as nominees of Congress from Mylliem, Resubelpara and Mahendraganj respectively.

Frmer Union Minister Agatha K. Sangma and former Meghalaya Rajya Sabha member Thomas A. Sangma also filed their nomination papers as National People's Party nominee from South Tura and North Tura assembly seats respectively.

"Response of the people is very good and the people of Meghalaya want change. I am confident that NPP will form the government and I will be part of the new government in Meghalaya," said Agatha Sangma.

Four legislators - Alexander Hek of the Congress, Sanbor Shullai of the Nationalist Congress Party, besides two Independents Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon - who had quit the 60 member Meghalaya Assembly, also filed their nomination papers as BJP nominees.

In Shillong, BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli claimed that the response his party got was phenomenal and the time for change is clear whether across the state be it Jaintia Hills, Khasi Hills and Garo Hills especially Shillong city.

"We do not fight as tokenism. We fight credibly and want to clearly see that the mood of the people of Meghalaya which is to remove the Congress government which for 15 years has a track record of unkept promises, vote for the best candidates. We always said that we will find a majority seats and 47 seats is the vast majority out of 60 seats," he told journalists.

Meanwhile, 153 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the assembly polls on the fourth day of nominations, taking the total number of nominations filed so far to 297.

--IANS

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