After it made a sensational splash at the recent state Assembly elections with four wins, the old style political class are feeling jittery that the Voice of the People Party (VPP) is only growing in popularity, its chief, Ardent M Basaiawmoit, said today.
Basaiawmoit was addressing an event in Smit where he was felicitated on his victory in the Nongkrem race.
It was Basaiawmoit, who was in the political wilderness after losing the seat in the 2018 election, who decided to begin a “revolution” in Meghalaya politics, which led to the creation of the VPP as a party of difference.
Today, he told his constituents that he would be the representative of all the people of the Nongkrem seat and not only the 13,000 or so who voted for him.
“When I lost in 2018 I knew that beyond the dark clouds there was a ray of hope and the ray of hope was the formation of the VPP,” he said.
Recalling that many predicted the VPP would be unable to secure any seats in the election, he said that things have now changed and there is a desire for more people to run in elections under its banner.
The party has already announced that it is in the planning stages for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and Parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for next year.
“The desires of the rich who want to snatch away the power and make themselves richer have started having goosebumps after seeing the mandate of the people towards the VPP,” Basaiawmoit said. “Now everyone wants to contest on the symbol prah (the rice winnower that is the VPP emblem) but we assure that the party ticket will only be given to the most deserving and if there are two-three worthy candidates from the same area it will be through a lucky draw so that neutrality prevails.”
