U Prah (winnower) has become the talk of the town.
This symbol of the newly floated Voice of the People Party (VPP) has won the hearts of both the young and old.
The VPP sent shockwaves as it won four seats and narrowly lost the Mylliem seat. Its candidates who did not win also performed well managing a good number of votes.
In Mawlai, VPP candidate Brighstarwell Marbaniang registered a landslide victory securing 24,262 votes.
The political novice defeated his nearest rival and sitting MDC Teibor Pathaw of NPP by a margin of 15,648 votes.
Pathaw got 8614 votes while sitting MLA Process T. Sawkmie who contested on UDP ticket relegated to the third position getting only 5142 votes.
The victory of Marbaniang has shocked all his opponents given the fact that they had ridiculed him and said that he was a “nobody’.
VPP president Ardent M. Basaiawmoit made a comeback in politics by winning the Nongkrem seat. He won by a margin of 4068 votes against sitting MLA Lambor Malngiang of UDP.
Mawhati MLA Dasakhiat Lamare who also contested from Nongkrem lost badly in the polls.
North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum who contested on VPP ticket retained the seat by a margin of 1033 votes.
Nongrum who secured 5583 votes defeated his nearest rival Mariahom Kharkrang of BJP who polled 4550 votes.
Moreover, VPP candidate from Mawryngkneng Heaving Stone Kharpran won the seat defeating Osaphi S. Jyrwa of UDP.
Kharpran secured 11,424 votes while Jyrwa got 10,182 votes. Sitting MLA of Mawryngkneng, Pyniaid Sing Syiem of NPP was relegated to third position.
Meanwhile, VPP chief Ardent Basaiawmoit has made it clear that his party will not support any government led by NPP or BJP.
“Under no circumstances we will work with NPP,” he told media persons, adding that VPP was firm in its stand against corruption.
The victory by the VPP in these four constituencies has led to massive celebration by its supporters.
In evening time it was seen that all roads in Mawkhar, Jaiaw and Mawlai were filled by VPP supporters who waved party flags and sang the party’s campaign song ‘Kongrit Kongnah Ha U Prah’.
