Meghalaya polls: Who is Bernard N Marak, the BJP leader, fielded against CM Sangma

Shillong, Feb 02: The BJP on Thursday announced Bernard N Marak, its state unit vice-president, and a former militant leader, as its official candidate against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the South Tura constituency.
The BJP will contest all 60 seats in the Meghalaya assembly and announced the names of all its candidates on Thursday.

It had last month decided to break away from the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance led by Conrad Sangma and go it alone in the state election, a party spokesman told news agency PTI.

Among those whose names featured in the list were BJP's two sitting MLAs - Sanbor Shullai and A L Hek who will contest from South Shillong and Pynthorukhrah constituencies in the city, he said.

Sitting MLAs who quit other parties in the past few months and joined BJP were also accommodated in the list. Among them are H M Shangpliang, Ferlin Sangma, Benedict Marak and Samuel M Sangma who will contesting from Mawsynram, Selsella, Raksamgre and Baghmara constituencies respectively.

State BJP president Ernest Mawrie who unsuccessfully contested from Nongthymmai constituency in 2018 will contest from West Shillong constituency. M H Kharkrang, the party spokesperson, will contest from North Shillong constituency, according to the party.

The party also fielded seven women candidates, including former NPP MLA Ferlin Sangma, the spokesman said.

Marak is a militant-turned-politician. He is the vice-president of the Meghalaya BJP. He has more than 25 criminal cases registered against him since 2000 across the state.

Marak had laid down arms in 2014 and disbanded the ANVC-B militant group. He had joined Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), an armed militant group to carve out a separate state for Garo tribals.

Earlier in 2022, Marak had been arrested in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly running a brothel in the hilly state. Six minors, 500 unused condoms, crossbows, and dozens of vehicles were recovered from the farmhouse after the raid, according to reports.