Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Ernest Mawrie on January 6 said the announcement of the party’s candidates will be after the Election Commission (EC) announces the poll dates.
He said that emphasis will be more on candidates who have a winnability factor. Mawrie added that applications from interested individuals to contest from the party will be called.
The BJP state unit stated that the final say on who will contest the 2023 Assembly polls will come from its central leaders.
Mawrie said that on the part of the State Election Committee (SEC) they will properly screen the candidates before sending the names to Delhi for the final approval of the central leaders of the BJP.
He also informed that the party will put up candidates from all the 60 constituencies.
Asked on what the party will do in constituencies where there is a tussle for BJP ticket, Mawrie said, “This will depend on the survey that the party has done on which candidate is winning and who is working on the ground. But the final say will be of the central leaders from Delhi,” he said.
On the preparations that the BJP has undertaken for the upcoming polls, Mawrie said that the people of the state want change.
“They want change. Development and change will come through only if the BJP comes to power,” he said even as he gave the example of BJP-ruled states in the north east Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
“The wheels of development in these states are running fast, be it in the road sector, potable water, colleges and other infrastructure,” Mawrie said.
The state BJP chief also said that the party will cross the “double digit” mark in the 2023 assembly election even as he added that it will play an important role in the government formation.
Recently, four MLAs from different parties joined the BJP and will contest the 2023 polls.
These are Himalaya M Shangpliang of the Trinamool Congress, Benedic R. Marak and Ferlin C.A. Sangma (NPP) and independent Baghmara MLA Samuel M. Sangma.