Shillong, Jan 8 (IANS) The Congress party has received applications from nearly 70 aspirants seeking party tickets for the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), scheduled to be held later this year, the state Congress chief Vincent Pala said on Thursday.

Speaking to the reporters here, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent H. Pala said the party is fully geared up for the GHADC polls and has completed most of the groundwork well in advance.

He said the party had opened the process of receiving applications nearly a month ago, which evoked a strong response from prospective candidates across constituencies in the Garo Hills region.

“We have been inviting applications for the past one month, and around 70 candidates have come forward seeking Congress tickets. The matter of final selection is now before the party,” Pala said, indicating that the screening and consultation process is currently underway.

The MPCC chief said that the final list of candidates would be announced only after the official election schedule is notified by the authorities. “As is our established practice, once the elections are formally announced, we will declare our candidates. All necessary preparations for the GHADC elections have already been completed,” he added.

Pala also stressed that the Congress would approach the elections with a focus on grassroots issues affecting the people of Garo Hills, including development, protection of indigenous rights, strengthening of autonomous district councils, and ensuring transparency in governance.

He said the party is confident of putting up a strong fight in the polls by fielding capable and committed candidates. The GHADC, one of the three autonomous district councils in Meghalaya, plays a crucial role in the administration of tribal areas, particularly in matters related to land, forests, customary laws, and local governance.

Elections to the council are seen as politically significant, as they often reflect the public mood in the Garo Hills region ahead of larger state-level contests.

With a sizeable number of aspirants coming forward, the Congress leadership said it views the response as a positive sign of renewed interest and organisational strength within the party in the region, ahead of the crucial GHADC elections.

–IANS

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