Shillong: The BJP is hunting for a candidate to contest the Shillong Lok Sabha by-election. Nine aspirants applied for the party ticket. State officials forwarded the names to central leadership for a final call. A senior BJP leader noted the candidate could be “zeroed down immediately” once the high command weighs in.
This seat opened after the death of VPP member Ricky AJ Syngkon. He won in 2024 with 571,078 votes, a massive margin of 371,000 over Congress runner-up Vincent Pala. The VPP aims to prove that landslide victory wasn't a fluke. They have already tapped Batskhem Myrboh as their candidate. The VPP held 32 of 36 assembly segments in the last cycle.
The stakes are shifting. The NPP remains committed to their pick, DRL Nonglait. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar insists his party won't change its stripes. Meanwhile, the BJP is flexing new muscle. Eight UDP MLAs are eyeing the saffron party, and former UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh just jumped ship.
The by-election serves as a measuring stick. It gauges if the BJP can build an independent vote base in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills. The NPP fights to keep its dominance. The VPP fights for survival. Every move today impacts the power balance leading into 2028.
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