Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief and Nongkrem MLA Ardent M Basaiawmoit has refuted the claim that the party saw its votes shrink at the recent autonomous district council elections.
The VPP won an absolute majority of seats in the KHADC and finished second in the JHADC. This was the first time that the party had ran for election in the two district councils.
The claim that it lost support was made by Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar of the National People’s Party (NPP).
The VPP secured 37 per cent of the vote in the KHADC election, compared to the NPP’s 25 per cent, Basaiawmoit told reporters. It was far closer in the JHADC, with the NPP taking 32 per cent to the VPP’s 31 per cent.
Dhar’s claim referred to last year’s Lok Sabha election where the VPP won 55 per cent of the vote across Khasi-Jaintia Hills and the NPP a mere 18 per cent. This, however, is not a like-for-like comparison as the Lok Sabha race was for just one seat while there were 58 miniature contests for the KHADC and JHADC constituencies, each with their own special considerations and candidates.
Basaiawmoit chose not to dwell on this but criticised the state government for inadequate security measures at highly sensitive polling stations, despite warnings of violence. He argued that VPP could have performed better in the JHADC if voters there had the same opportunities as those in KHADC. He alleged that voters faced threats and intimidation, and, despite raising concerns, no security personnel were deployed at sensitive polling stations.
Meanwhile, the VPP chief clarified that his party’s stance on government policies is not confrontational, emphasising a coordinated approach. He stated, “We will coordinate, and this is what our MP is currently doing,” and added that the party is open to engaging with the government when needed.
Basaiawmoit reiterated that the VPP’s focus is on the development and welfare of the people, stressing that the situation is not a rivalry between NPP and VPP but a struggle based on principles.
He also addressed his proposal to apply Article 371 of the Constitution in Meghalaya, revealing that he has called for a debate and is preparing to engage with legal experts on the matter. He suggested that the issue is about mindset, noting, “Even the leaders who fought for the state might wonder why they should fight for the state when an autonomous district council already exists.”
