Thursday’s planned march on the Secretariat is a chance for ordinary citizens, Voice of the People Party (VPP) supporters and anyone else with a gripe to show their displeasure with the functioning of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.
However, for the VPP it is much more than this. Although they are not saying so, this is a key test of strength for the opposition party – a chance to demonstrate that it still has the ability to stir the passions of the masses and bring out a big crowd.
Since 2023 there has been an election of some sort in Meghalaya every year and the VPP has performed well. So well, in fact, that other more established parties should really be worried about their future prospects.
That first year saw the upstarts win four seats in the Meghalaya Assembly election, with a few close second-placed finishes as well. 2024 saw the VPP build on that momentum with a stomping win in the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, with an absolute majority of votes going to Ricky AJ Syngkon. Then, last year, the party’s winning feeling continued with a majority in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council election and a sizeable presence in the Jaintia Hills ADC too.
This year should not have had any election but the untimely demise of Syngkon in February means that there will be a by-election to contest at some point.
Its rivals are hoping that some of the sheen of the new party has finally worn off. Running the KHADC for the past year means that the VPP is no longer an opposition voice – it holds the reins in the district council and it is now facing plenty of criticism for the way it has been governing, specifically over its handling of the succession to the Sohra Syiemship, removal of the Syiem of Mylliem and land amendment bill.
Have these controversies hurt the party’s image badly enough? We will see on Thursday. A good turnout will reinvigorate the VPP while a bad one will delight its enemies.
So far, though, those in power seem to be expecting a big gathering. The Chief Minister and a Deputy CM have both said that protest marches are not really a thing that political parties should be involved in and that opportunities already exist to raise matters in the Assembly or with the government directly.
This is a naive hope at best. Political parties that want to stay upmost in people’s minds have to grab their attention. In this age of social media noise, a pumped-up gathering of the faithful is a real chance for the VPP to continue building on its momentum as it seeks more victories, not just in the upcoming by-election but in the next Assembly election in 2028.
