Ampati: Discontent has surfaced within the Hajong community in South West Garo Hills following the announcement of the first list of candidates by the National People’s Party (NPP) for the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
The NPP released its first list of candidates on February 16, naming nominees for 24 constituencies.
According to community leaders, none of the candidates belong to the Hajong community, triggering strong reactions and allegations of marginalisation.
They also claimed that in the remaining constituencies, there is little scope for Hajong representation, effectively shutting the community out of the party’s ticket distribution.
Community representatives pointed out that Zikzak and Betasing constituencies have traditionally been considered the two seats where Hajong and Koch candidates stand a realistic chance of electoral success.
While the NPP retained sitting MDC Sanjay Koch as its candidate from Betasing, the party’s ticket for Zikzak was allotted to Sanjay Sangma, the brother-in-law of Chief Minister and NPP chief Conrad Sangma, who is also the MLA from Mahendraganj.
This decision has intensified resentment, particularly as three Hajong aspirants had reportedly applied for the ticket from Zikzak and were considered winnable candidates.
Leaders of the Hajong community said the decision reflected a failure to maintain community balance and described it as an act of injustice and neglect.
They argued that the denial of representation was not only political exclusion but also symbolic of broader marginalisation in development and opportunities.
Soon after the declaration of the candidate list, Hajong leaders from South West Garo Hills convened an emergency meeting on February 16 evening at Kharugaon (Tinkonapara) in Ampati, under the leadership of Nipon Hajong, Additional Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills.
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The meeting focused on what participants described as the systematic sidelining of the Hajong community and the political implications of the NPP’s ticket distribution.
While the specific decisions taken at the meeting were not formally disclosed, leaders present reportedly agreed that the matter should be treated seriously and not dismissed as a routine political development, viewing it as both an insult to community dignity and a setback to political representation.
In a further political development, Jagadish Hajong, president of the Meghalaya Hajong Welfare Association and a known NPP functionary, is learnt to have applied for a ticket from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Betasing, reportedly out of frustration over the NPP’s candidate selection process.
Sources said the application was made even though the deadline for submitting party ticket applications had already passed. Jagadish Hajong currently holds the position of Vice Chairman in the government.
The GHADC elections will be held on April 10, with counting of votes scheduled for April 14
