SHILLONG, March 25 - Filing of nominations for the two Lok Sabha seats in Meghalaya has come to an end today with eight candidates filing their nomination papers for the Shillong seat and three for the Tura Parliamentary constituency.
From Shillong, sitting Congress candidate, Vincent H Pala and Kennedy Cornelius Khyriem (Congress stand-by) UDP�s Jemino Mawthoh, BJP�s Sanbor Shullai, THS Bonney (Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement), CPI�s Justice Kharbasanti and Independents, Samuel Hashah and Romeo Phira Rani have filed their nominations.
The scrutiny of nomination papers would be done on March 26. The last date of withdrawal of candidature is March 28. A single-phase polling would be held for the two seats on April 11.
Meanwhile, electioneering has not picked up pace for the Shillong seat. Election campaign for the Shillong seat has traditionally been subdued. Parties hold rallies and also go for door-to-door campaign.
However, this year the campaigning is likely to be passionate. The fight is mainly between the Congress candidate fighting to retain the seat for the third consecutive term and the UDP�s candidate, who is also the common candidate of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance.
The entry of the BJP candidate has only made the contest interesting. Some of the agendas of these parties would revolve around the coal mining ban, the inter-State boundary issue with Assam, unemployment, connectivity, apart from other issues.
BJP�s Sanbor Shullai today filed his nomination papers before Returning Officer, Abhishek Bhagotia for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
Shullai came to the office of the Returning Officer, this afternoon with his supporters and along with BJP legislator and Cabinet Minister, AL Hek on the last day for filing of nominations.
Shullai was the former Deputy Speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly when he was in the NCP. He switched to the BJP and contested and won the Shillong South constituency.
Speaking to the media after filing his nomination, Shullai expressed confidence of winning the Shillong Parliamentary seat because, he said, people of the country have reposed faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
�The people of Khasi and Jaintia Hills should vote for the party who will form the next government in Delhi,� he said.
