The Congress has rejected the extension of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) by six more months, and pointed out that elections can be held in 27 out of 29 constituencies. Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Deborah Marak told reporters that the party never endorsed the move and that a shorter, targeted approach was possible. “Six months is very long,” Marak said.
She said that elections could have been held in 27 of 29 seats except Shyamnagar and Balachanda, the two constituencies at the centre of a dispute over non-tribal participation. “They could have suspended these two constituencies, allowed polls elsewhere, and let a new executive committee find a good mechanism to solve the ongoing problem,” she said.
Marak also said the Congress supports the demand that non-tribals should not contest in Shyamnagar and Balachanda and expressed frustration that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma did not call an all-party meeting,” which she said would have provided inputs on limiting seats.