Shillong, July 11: The election to the post of Chief Executive Member (CEM) in Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) will witness a contest between former CEM and member from Nongkrem constituency, Hispreaching Son Shylla and former Executive Member and MDC from Nongshken constituency, Grace Mary Kharpuri.
Both Shylla and Kharmuri filed their nominations on Wednesday for the election to the post to be conducted in the House on Thursday.
Whiel Shylla is the member of the National People’s Party (NPP) in the Council, Kharpuri is the member of the People’s Democratic Front (PDF).
Kharpuri’s decision to join the fray came as a surprise to the newly formed Khasi Hills Democratic Alliance (KHDA), which was instrumental in ousting Pynshngaiñlang N. Syiem from the CEM post.
Syiem was leading an Executive Committee of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) in the Council, but resigned as CEM on Tuesday after 17 Council members including some PDF members lost confidence in the leadership of Syiem as CEM.
Infact, Kharpuri was also part of the KHDA, but suddenly decided to contest the CEM election after she was assured of getting support from some members who are supporting the outgoing CEM (Syiem) and some members from the KHDA who did not favour the candidature of Shylla for the CEM post.
Shylla is the candidate of the KHDA, while Kharpuri filed her nominations as candidate of the PDA for the CEM election.
The nomination papers were filed before the KHADC secretary.
Meanwhile Shylla and other KHDA leaders expressed shock on knowing that Kharpuri also announced her decision to contest the CEM election as PDA candidate.
“We were shocked by Kharpuri’s decision as she was part of the unanimous decision taken by the KHDA. We thought that she had come to accompany us for filing of nominations but it turned out to be otherwise,†Shylla said.
Earlier in the KHDA meeting all agreed the candidature of Shylla for the CEM post.
KHDA secretary and UDP member from Laitumkhrah, Neil Antonio War said that the alliance had given equal chance to all the 17 members to propose the candidate for the post.
The KHDA also expressed surprise over the decision of Congress members who had initially submitted their letter of support to the KHDA but later extended support to Kharpuri’s candidature.
“This only shows that Congress members are immature and opportunists,†he said.
Expressing confidence that Shylla will be elected as new CEM, War further claimed that all the 16 members of the KHDA are intact.
According to him, the KHDA is having the support of 5 UDP, 4 NPP, 3 PDF, 3 HSPDP and 1 Independent, while the PDA is only with 9 PDF and 4 Congress.
On the other hand, Kharpuri said that she decided to pull out of the KHDA after seeing a division between the UDP and the NPP over the CEM post.
“We were thinking of having a consensus leader from the alliance, but there were more than three members who wanted to contest for CEM post. After seeing the division, I fear that after the election, the new EC may not last long,†she said.
Kharpuri also claimed that two PDF members – James Sylliang and Latiplang Kharkongor (who are with the KHDA) – have assured of extending their support to her.
“Before I came here, James Sylliang met me in my house and he has given me his blessings while Latiplang Kharkongor has also given me his word that he will support my candidature,†she stated.