Congress candidate Biren Sing Engti and BJP candidate Horen Sing Bey filed their nomination papers for the Autonomous District Lok Sabha seat before the returning officer and Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner Mukul Kumar Saikia here on Monday.
While Engti is the sitting MP, Bey is a member of autonomous council (MAC) and executive member (EM) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).
BJP candidate Bey along with KAAC chief executive member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang and the CEM of NC Hills Autonomous Council, Debolal Garlosa and EMs went on an open top Gypsy car in a huge procession from the party office here at Rongnihang to the DC’s office to file his nomination.
Thousands of party workers and supporters also accompanied the BJP candidate.
The BJP team reached the DC office at around 2 pm and Horen Sing Bey filed his nomination before returning officer Saikia.
Sitting MP Engti accompanied by Congress members and workers filed nomination papers at the same time.
He was accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) secretary Shamin Rashid Chaudhury and Karbi Anglong District Congress Committee (KADCC) vice presidents Pran Kumar Dutta and Ashok Teron, and West KADC president Sarthe Kramsa.
After filing his nomination, Engti talking to the media said, “Another parliamentary seat should be created in Haflong for NC Hills and this would be possible in 2026 when delimitation will be done for Assembly along with Lok Sabha seats. In that delimitation, the present 5 Assembly seats in the three hill districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and NC Hills will be raised to 7. Everyone is fighting elections to win and we are hopeful.”
BJP candidate bey, while coming out after filing his nomination, told the media, “He (Engti) is too old now and people need change for a new leadership. Five Assembly seats in the hills are held by the BJP and nine Town Committees in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong are with the BJP. Winning chance is 100 per cent. We just want to ensure that we get more than 90 per cent of the votes. I will speak in Parliament for Autonomous State and for full implementation of the MoU and MoS and for development.”
KAAC CEM Ronghang said it is with the purpose to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister again and people have openly come out to support the BJP.
“We are sticking to the demand of Autonomous State which is a State within the State in Assam and for all-round development in the hill districts that we want BJP to come back to power again. MP Biren Singh Engti has won maximum number of elections, but he never spoke about the issues of the hill districts. A new and energetic leader is required to change the face of the districts and for that people need to elect Horen Sing Bey,” said Ronghang.
After filing his nomination, BJP candidate Bey along with the CEMs and EMs of both the autonomous councils and MLAs Mansing Rongpi, Numal Momin and Bir Bhadra Hagjer attended a campaign meeting here at Lorulangso, Hacha Kekan Aklam.