Shillong, Jan. 31: Church leaders in Meghalaya have renewed their call to voters to adhere to guidelines issued by the state?s Christian establishment while voting in the February 26 polls.
The Shillong Khasi Jaintia Church Leaders? Forum today said it endorsed the ?election guidelines? issued by the Catholic Church and the KJP Synod.
In a statement, forum president Purely Lyngdoh and general secretary R.J. Skinner said that the forum ?endorses the guidelines, urging voters to follow them and to elect candidates who are God-fearing and who can work for peace, progress and prosperity of the state?.
The Catholic Church and the KJP Synod had recently come out with a 10-point charter of guidelines.
However, some political parties and individuals have ridiculed the guidelines as ?interference? in the poll process. But the guidelines were appreciated by the public.
VHP leader Praveen Togadia had called upon the Election Commission to take action against the Church for ?interfering? with the election process.
Like most parties, the BJP had supported the Church?s role in ensuring that ?people make a wise choice? while exercising their franchise.
Manifesto: With the poll scene hotting up in Meghalaya, the powerful Khasi Students? Union today took the wraps off its political wing?s agenda for the elections.
The Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement today released its election manifesto, which stresses introduction of inner-line regulations for Meghalaya. Most points in the manifesto are, in fact, the hotly-pursued issues of the KSU.
The manifesto was released with a policy statement titled ?Meghalaya?s economy: An agenda for action? by president of the movement Paul Lyngdoh.
Lyngdoh, formerly a fire-brand KSU leader, urged the people to ?preserve the identity of jait bynriew (people of the land)?
He said the movement had a ?mission with a vision?. Lyngdoh will contest from the Jaiaw Assembly constituency.