Shillong (PTI): 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 South Tura constituency.

The saffron party will contest all the 60 seats in the Meghalaya assembly and announced 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 said here.

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 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.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Manchester, Jul 25 (PTI): The prolific Joe Root on Friday surpassed Australian legend Ricky Ponting's tally to become the second highest run-getter in the history of Test cricket and next in sight of the England batter is Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar who continues to head the list.

On the third day of the fourth Test against India here, Root first leapfrogged legendary Indian Rahul Dravid and South African great Jacques Kallis' aggregate of runs in a space of eight balls and then went past Ponting by steering the ball behind point for a single as the Old Trafford crowd gave him a standing ovation.

Ponting had scored 13378 runs in 168 matches at an average of 51.85, while Tendulkar continues to top the list with 15921 runs.

It was apt that Ponting was in the commentary box when Root went past him. The 34-year-old Root began his Test career with a 73-run knock on debut during England's tour of India back in 2012 at Nagpur.

"Congrats, Joe Root. Magnificent," a delighted Ponting, doing commentary alongside Ravi Shastri, hailed the Yorkshire man.

Root is playing in his 157th Test.

It was some sight as England skipper Ben Stokes, who was also in the middle, raised his bat even before Root could take off his helmet and acknowledged the cheers and applause from the crowd and the players

Earlier, Root entered the history books by breaking the record of most Test centuries against India with his 12th hundred against the Asian giants, against whom he has played in 34 Tests so far.

Root had equalled Australian Steve Smith's record (11 centuries) in the third India-England Test at Lord's last week by scoring a hundred (104 runs from 199 balls) in the first innings.

Overall, the ton at Old Trafford was his 38th in red ball format as he joined former Sri Lanka star Kumar Sangakkara at fourth place in the list of centurions in the game's longest format.

Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45) and Ponting (41) are ahead of him in the hundred's list.