Making its debut in state politics, KAM Meghalaya’s three candidates for the upcoming February 27 Assembly election filed their nomination papers here today.
Angela Rangad will contest South Shillong, Wanpynhun Kharsyntiew East Shillong and Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh North Shillong. All three will be running as independents as KAM Meghalaya is not a registered political party.
All three are social activists with a left-wing slant. Rangad has been at the forefront of voicing issues of hawkers and other marginalised groups as a leader of Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR).
Kharsyntiew was a domestic worker before she became part of the national domestic workers’ movement. Pyrtuh was a Presbyterian pastor but had to resign in July 2021 as the church was uncomfortable with his political activities.
“Our campaign from the very beginning has been based on certain principles and values and we have been working hard,” Rangad told reporters. “We have been meeting people to talk about the need to start discussing issues, our rights, how we revive and renew democracy. And I think, based on that, people have a very clear choice in South Shillong and a very clear alternative and I’m sure that the people will choose wisely.”
While Rangad comes from a well-known Laban family, she will be up against a three-time MLA who can brawl with the best of them, Sanbor Shullai of the BJP.
“Nobody is invincible and we have to understand that the people will weigh the works of the MLA and not [vote for him] just because he’s been around so long,” Rangad said of her main opponent.
She critiqued Shullai for not being transparent and accountable enough over the use of funds, concentrating funds among certain groups and people and leaving out large sections of the constituency.
KAM will release its manifesto in the next few days, which has been written after soliciting opinions from the people.
“Some of the key issues that have emerged are unemployment, soaring prices in both education and healthcare, inaccessibility of even basic entitlements, whether it’s PDS or our feeding programmes for children. Also the overall civic amenities in and around Shillong. Many people have expressed that it looks as if we see civic amenities improve only a few months before the election. It’s almost as if they’re powdering up and that shouldn’t be the case,” she stated.
Rangad described the performance of the NPP-led government as a total failure as it has been, she said, mired in corruption, even during the crisis period of the Covid-19 pandemic.
