With the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections slated for next year, the National People’s Party has triggered an intense, high-stakes race for party tickets, as some of the sitting NPP MLAs are collecting application forms to seek party ‘s ticket for the upcoming GHADC elections. The surge of interest from heavyweight leaders and first-time aspirants alike has transformed the upcoming GHADC polls into both a test of the party’s organisational depth and an informal referendum on the performance of incumbent lawmakers, who now find themselves competing within their own ranks.
NPP working President and cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak confirmed that “some sitting NPP MLAs have taken party’s application and are seeking for the party’s ticket for the upcoming GHADC elections scheduled to be held next year.”
Stressing that winnability remains the party’s principal filter, he said the ultimate call would be guided by an intensive, tiered survey system. “Once the last date for submission of application is completed we will be having a meeting and if we found that there are multiple applicant for particular constituency then we will be forming an observer. We will be sending observers to constituencies who will carry out massive discussion with party leaders, also local MLAs and party leaders till grassroot. After receiving input we will be having a meeting again and we will be discussing at the district as well as block levels. Finally we will go for Winability. It will be based on survey, we will do the survey, party will do the survey and Chief Minister is having his own survey team to do the survey.”
Conceding that incumbency pressure remains a political constant, Marak noted that “anti incumbency is always there whenever a rulling party goes for poll,” while insisting that the NPP has “resolved the issued arise at GHADC.”
He further revealed that the party has extended its ticket application deadline in response to the overwhelming influx of aspirants, with the window for submissions now pushed to November 30.
