Meghalaya Elections: BJP bets on former militant leader against CM Sangma, know who is Bernard Marak

Shillong. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president of its state unit and former militant leader Bernard N. Antidote to Chief Minister Konrad K. Has been declared the official candidate of the party from South Tura seat against Sangma. The BJP will contest all the 60 seats in the Meghalaya Assembly and announced the names of all its candidates on Thursday.

The BJP had last month decided to break away from the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance and contest the assembly polls alone, a party spokesperson said here. The list of candidates includes two sitting BJP MLAs Sambor Shullai and AL Hek, who will contest from South Shillong and Pythorukhara constituencies respectively in the city, he said.

Apart from this, sitting MLAs who left other parties and joined BJP have also been included in the list. These include H M Shangpliang, Ferlin Sangma, Benedict Marak and Samuel M Sangma, who will contest from Mawsynram, Selsela, Raksamgre and Baghmara constituencies respectively. BJP’s state unit president Ernest Mowry will contest from West Shillong seat.

Meghalaya Elections: BJP will contest elections alone, announced candidates, gave slogan of ‘Strong Meghalaya’

Significantly, Marak had laid down arms in 2014 and dissolved the militant organization Achik National Volunteer Council-B. He had joined the NVC, an armed militant organization demanding a separate state for the Garo tribe. Bernard Marak, known for being vocal against Konrad Sangma, was arrested last year and accused of running a brothel at his farmhouse in Tura, including unethical human trafficking. Bernard Tura is also a member of the Zilla Parishad.

According to the party, the state BJP president Ernest Mowry, who lost the election from Nongthimmai constituency in 2018, will contest from West Shillan constituency. According to the BJP, its party spokesperson M.H. Kharkang will contest from North Shillong constituency. The BJP spokesperson said that the party has also given tickets to seven women candidates, including former NPP MLA Ferlin Sangma.

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Tags: assembly elections, BJP, Meghalaya