North Shillong BJP candidate and former IPS officer Mariahom Kharkrang today kicked off his first campaign by challenging the other candidates for a public debate.
Addressing a public gathering at the Khasi National Dorbar Hall, Kharkrang said that many people say that North Shillong has too many candidates (there could well be at least 10 or more). “Let it be! Even if there are many candidates, we should have a public debate… Let the public hear what we have to say and offer,” he stated.
Kharkrang called his agenda for the constituency practical and reasonable. “I have four agenda – education, healthcare, employment and security. If I can fulfill this in five years for my constituency, we will be sorted and we won’t have to run around for help.”
The BJP has been hamstrung in the past given its Hindu nationalist credentials in a Christian-majority state. The ex-cop tried to assuage the feelings of the people by promising that he, as a Chrisitian, will be the first to stand up against any atrocities against minorities.
Urging the people to vote for him, Kharkrang cited how Assam is such a developed state and Meghalaya is, by comparison, underdeveloped. He said that the main reason for this is corruption and that if it continues Meghalaya will never develop but, through the BJP, corruption will be rooted out.
“Fifteen years later we will see Assam will be so developed and we will remain the same and you might regret why didn’t we vote for BJP,” he added.
