SHILLONG: Meghalaya TMC has received 26 applications from aspirants across 16 constituencies for the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), but the rush for party tickets has been strikingly uneven, with only two of the party’s six sitting Members of District Council (MDCs) seeking renomination.
The sharp contrast between the volume of new aspirants and the reluctance of most incumbents has added a layer of political intrigue to the run-up to the council polls.
The spike in applications is being seen as an indicator of the Trinamool Congress’ growing traction in the Garo Hills, where autonomous council elections are closely watched as a test of organisational depth and grassroots influence. However, the conspicuous absence of a majority of sitting MDCs from the ticket race has raised questions within political circles about whether the party is heading into the polls with a recalibrated strategy that prioritises fresh faces, or whether incumbents are still weighing their political options amid a fluid pre-election environment.
Of the six sitting MDCs currently associated with the TMC, only two applied for party tickets before the deadline, while four stayed away as the formal application process concluded earlier this month. The development has triggered speculation of possible internal churn, strategic repositioning, or quiet negotiations that often precede high-stakes council elections in the region.
Confirming the status of the applications, Dadenggre MLA Rupa M. Marak, who heads the Meghalaya TMC election committee for the GHADC polls, said, “The last date for applying for the party ticket was on January 17. However, the doors are still open for sitting MDCs to apply for the party ticket.”
Speculation over any possible deferment of the GHADC elections has meanwhile been firmly ruled out by the state government. Deputy Chief Minister in charge of District Council Affairs Prestone Tynsong earlier last week dismissed such suggestions, stating, “the term of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council is ending on April 18, so well before that the election process has to be completed.”
With the election notification expected in the coming weeks, parties are now gearing up for the polls across Garo Hills.
