Meghalaya election 2023: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to address rally on February 22

Congress leader and star campaigner for the upcoming Meghalaya assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi will visit Shillong on February 22.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to campaign for the party candidates at Malki ground around 11 AM.

On the otherhand, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Shillong Vincent Pala believes that the party has a fair chance of reaching the majority mark in the assembly elections in Meghalaya. 

Further Pala asserted that the Congress is now stronger with the infusion of younger leaders as the old and corrupt have left the party. 

The Lok Sabha MP, who is contesting the assembly election this time, also admitted that he has chief ministerial ambition. 

Also Watch: We are likely to win 30-32 seats. I'm not averse to becoming CM: Congress MP Vincent Pala

In the 2018 Meghalaya Assembly elections, out of 370 candidates analysed, 25 (7 per cent) had declared criminal cases against themselves. Comparatively, the 2023 Assembly elections will witness a drop in the number of candidates with criminal backgrounds by 1 per cent.

The ADR report also suggests 4 per cent (15) of candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. Notably, the 2018 Meghalaya Assembly elections saw 6 per cent (21) candidates with serious criminal cases against themselves.

Among the major parties to have a maximum number of candidates with declared criminal cases against them, 5 (8 per cent) out of 60 candidates analysed from INC, 6 (11 per cent) out of 57 candidates analysed from NPP, 1 (2 per cent) out of 60 candidates analysed from BJP and 3 (5 per cent) out of 56 candidates analysed from AITC, as per the ADR report.