Rocky Hek filed his nomination papers to contest the Pynthorumkhrah seat at the February 27 Assembly elections as a National People’s Party (NPP) candidate.
Hek dramatically quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year to join the NPP, which puts him at odds with his uncle, the sitting legislator AL Hek, who is expected to be the BJP’s choice as candidate (the party has yet to make its list known).
Today Rocky claimed that he has done more for the people of Pynthorumkhrah in the last four months than his uncle has done in the 25 years that he has represented the area in the Assembly.
The BJP has two MLAs in the outgoing Assembly, the other being Sanbor Shulla in South Shillong. Compared to Hek, Rocky said that Shullai has done well for his constituency. “Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given lots of development schemes for the North East region, the developments in Laban (which falls within South Shillong) are nowhere to be seen in Pynthorumkhrah,” the NPP hopeful said.
Since joining the NPP, he has been able to get assistance from the state government for the constituency, he claimed.
“Our youth are scattered with no proper jobs and they are into drugs but nobody talks about this problem,” Rocky said. “We will take initiatives to eradicate the menace of drugs and uplift the livelihood of our constituents,” he added while stating that Pynthorumkhrah also lacks proper roads, water connection and streetlights.
He also said that he wanted to set up a job placement cell for the youth instead of giving them Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 and assured that the various schemes of the government will be fully implemented for the betterment of the constituency.
When asked about contesting against his uncle, he said that it was not his decision alone but one in which his family and people of the constituency took part in making.
When asked about speculation that he might withdraw at the last moment and not run against Hek senior, he ensured that there are no uncertainties and he will move ahead and wait for the mandate of the people on March 2, when the results are declared.
