CONGRESS RELEASES LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR MEGHALAYA AND TRIPURA POLLS

The Congress Party on Saturday released the list of its candidates for the forthcoming assembly polls in Meghalaya and Tripura. The party has fielded 56 candidates in Tripura, while in Meghalaya 57 candidates will be trying their luck. Polling in Tripura will take place on February 18, while Meghalaya goes to polls on February 27. The counting of votes in both the states will be held on March 3. Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma will contest from two seats in the state. The tenure of the current 60 member assemblies in both Meghalaya and Tripura ends on March 6 and March 14, respectively.

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Shillong on January 30 for a two day meeting with the party workers and supporters of the poll-bound state. The Congress had faced a major setback earlier this month when five of its MLAs resigned from the assembly and joined the NPP, and two other legislators moved to the BJP and the newly formed People’s Democratic Front.

The BJP, on the other hand, has said that it is in the process of finalising the visit of its star campaigners which include Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi had visited the state last month and addressed a gathering at Polo Grounds in Shillong. The rally was attended by thousands of people, including the BJP workers.