Shillong, Jan. 17: Meghalaya chief minister F.A. Khonglam is keeping the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on tenterhooks as he is still undecided on whether to contest on a party ticket from Sohra constituency.
The NCP released its third list of candidates recently but Khonglam?s name still did not figure in it. The chief minister is currently an associate member of the party.
While announcing the names of candidates approved by the party at Jaintia Hills, NCP president Robert Kharshiing told The Telegraph a couple of days back that the party was waiting for the chief minister to apply for a ticket. He seemed confident that Khonglam would eventually fall in line.
The four names released by the party include those of Eddie L. Nongrum from Nongpoh in Ri Bhoi district, Kwental Rngaid from Pariong in West Khasi Hills, Roland S. Nongrum from Dienglieng in East Khasi Hills and Wainbait Chullet from Raliang in Jaintia Hills.
Kharshiing cited ?technical reasons? as preventing the chief minister from applying for a party ticket. In the same breath, he agreed that fears of being charged under the anti-defection clauses of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution were not warranted.
Some senior NCP members, who appeared to be extremely disturbed over reports regarding Khonglam?s indecisiveness, said, ?There is no question of the anti-defection law being applicable as the party ticket would be for the 17th Assembly and not the current one.?
?Others like A.T. Mondal, Independent MLA from Phulbari, have resigned and have been given party tickets. Even Martin Danggo, who has resigned as an MLA, has joined the Congress. Why should only Khonglam be affected?? asked an NCP worker. However, Khonglam does not seem be too concerned about what the NCP leadership thinks.
Though he has not issued any direct comment about the delay, he has given enough indication that he has not made up his mind fully yet.
The chief minister is yet to fill up the application forms, which were sent to him twice, sources said. They added that the chief minister was fully aware that the NCP needs him desperately.
Moreover, with the hiatus between Khonglam and NCP national general secretary Purno A. Sangma, which is widening everyday, it appears that Khonglam would eventually contest as an Independent candidate.
Khonglam won the last Assembly elections in 1998 from Sohra as an Independent candidate. Though Khonglam has gone on record saying that he would contest on an NCP ticket, sources close to the chief minister think otherwise.