Shillong, Nov 25: The ruling Congress will lose three senior sitting MLAs before going to fresh the Assembly polls next year, with former chief minister and current MLA of Nongpoh, D.D. Lapang deciding not to join the fray in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Lapang who is the President of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee, had represented Nongpoh Assembly constituency since 1972, after Meghalaya became a state by carving out of Assam.
The 83 year old Congress veteran, was first elected as an Independent candidate from Nongpoh constituency in the first election to the first Meghalaya Assembly in 1972, and later joined the Congress.

Lapang had taken oath as chief minister of Meghalaya five times, and he lost the election from Nongpoh only once in 1993.
A senior Congress leader on Friday confirmed that Lapang has decided not to contest the 2018 Assembly elections from Nongpoh.
Sources said that Lapang has announced his decision not to contest the upcoming polls during a meeting of the Ri Bhoi district Congress committee held on Friday at Nongpoh.
No exact reason was cited regarding Lapang decision not to join the electoral battle in 2018.
However sources said that old age and failing health condition could be some of the reasons.
Infact Lapang had recently declared that the 2018 Assembly polls would the last election from him to contest from Nongpoh.

Sources said that political novice, Mayrald Syiem, the president of the Nongpoh Block Congress Committee is likely to be the Congress candidate from Nongpoh in the place of Lapang.
Besides Lapang, the two other senior Congress MLAs- deputy chief minister, R.C. Laloo from Jowai Assembly constituency, and the first woman home minister, Roshan Warjri from North Shillong constituency have also decided not to contest the 2018 Assembly elections.