Shillong, Oct 14: Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar today said the recent move of eight United Democratic Party (UDP) MLAs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would have no impact on the National People’s Party’s (NPP’) prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha by-election as support for the latter’s candidate, DR Lyngdoh Nonglait, was growing across Meghalaya.
Dhar said the response at the NPP’s election meetings had been encouraging, adding that party workers had been working hard to strengthen the campaign. Dhar and other NPP leaders have been stumping for Nonglait at campaign meetings in many parts of Khasi-Jaintia Hills in recent weeks.
“Our candidate is gaining strength day by day and support is coming from all corners of the state. The response, as you have seen in every meeting, is very promising,” Dhar said.
Taking a swipe at the Voice of the People Party (VPP), he questioned the turnout at its recent rally in Shillong, saying the gathering was not as large as claimed given that it covered 36 Meghalaya Assembly constituencies.
“If NPP calls all the 36 constituencies, it will be triple than that (the VPP’s turnout),” he said.
Dhar said the NPP was focusing on issues rather than attacking political opponents, adding that this approach had received positive feedback from voters.
He also expressed confidence in the party’s candidate, describing him as a new face with a mature outlook and no controversies working against him. Nonglait is a first time politician, having been involved in academia and the promotion of the Khasi language, in particular, up to being named as the NPP’s candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha by-poll. The seat covers all of Khasi-Jaintia Hills and became vacant after the sitting MP, Ricky AJ Syngkon of the Voice of the People Party, died suddenly in February. No date has been announced for the election, which will only take place after the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is complete.
Asked whether the NPP would urge the BJP not to field a candidate in the by-poll, Dhar demurred. “No, no, they are free to put up candidates. It will not affect NPP at all,” he said. The BJP did not field a candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, instead choosing to support the NPP’s candidate – even with that backing Ampareen Lyngdoh, the East Shillong MLA, could finish only third in the race.
