The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) has unanimously nominated James P K Sangma as its common candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election from Meghalaya, scheduled to be held on June 18.The decision was taken during a meeting of leaders of the alliance’s constituent parties, where discussions focused on selecting a candidate for the state’s lone seat in the Upper House of Parliament.According to resolutions adopted at the meeting, representatives of all parties were briefed on the election process and the position of the National People’s Party (NPP) by the party’s national and state leadership.During the deliberations, constituent parties proposed names from their respective organisations and expressed their willingness to have their nominees considered for the alliance’s official candidature. However, leaders were unable to reach a consensus on a single candidate through mutual agreement.
To resolve the issue, the alliance decided to follow its established convention of accepting the proposal put forward by its largest constituent party, the NPP. Leaders said the decision was taken in the interest of maintaining unity, cohesion and unanimity within the ruling alliance.Following the discussions, the meeting unanimously endorsed the NPP’s proposal to nominate James P K Sangma as the MDA’s official candidate for the Rajya Sabha election.Speaking after the announcement, Sangma expressed gratitude for the support extended to him by the alliance leadership and members. He said he was deeply humbled by the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work for the interests of Meghalaya. The meeting also discussed the forthcoming by-election to the Shillong Parliamentary constituency. The alliance decided that constituent parties would be free to take their own position regarding the bypoll. Parties may choose to support a candidate, remain neutral or stay away from the contest, depending on their individual political considerations.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the Rajya Sabha election process. Sangma is scheduled to file his nomination papers on June 5 at 2.30 pm. The Rajya Sabha election is expected to be closely watched in Meghalaya, with the MDA seeking to maintain unity among its partners while ensuring a smooth electoral process for the state’s sole Upper House seat.