Shillong, Feb 10: The BJP is likely to come up with its first list of candidates by the first week of March. The saffron party will release its manifesto by the end of February.

Gearing up for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council election, the BJP till now received the application for 18 constituencies.

The BJP state Unit President Ernest Mawrie, who is presently in Garo Hills to see the overall preparation for the upcoming poll, said, “Till today we have received the application for 18 constituencies of GHADC and the first list is likely to be announced on the first week of March and immediately we will announce the second list.”

“We are working on the election manifesto and before the end of February we will release our manifesto,” he added.

Stating that Corruption will be the main issue in BJP’s election agenda, Mawrie said the issue of pending salaries of GHADC employees, besides others, will be the highlight of the Manifesto.

“Corruption is the main issue, 30 months the staffs are living without salary than a lot of corruption has taken place, that is the main thing we will highlight to the people, so that if they want a clean and a good EC who focus on development than the only way is that they have to vote for BJP,” Mawrie said.

Asked if BJP is planning to contest in all the 29 seats, the state BJP chief said, “So far we have received applications for 18 constituencies and we are expecting a few more.”
In its attempt to reach out to the larger section of its leaders, BJP is holding meetings in two phases one covers the hill area while the other focuses on the plain belt of Garo Hills.

Giving details about BJP’s preparedness for the poll, Mawrie said, “Today’s meeting we had with the aspiring candidates from the Hill area, District Presidents, Jila secretary, Mandal presidents and tomorrow we are having a meeting with plain belt area, we have divided it into two parts the hill area and plain belt are.”