Editor,
These past few weeks have seen a tumultuous turn of events politically in our State. Headlines after headlines, we see political representatives and leaders of different political parties suddenly changing route and jumping into the NPP bandwagon.
Surely the wave of the NPP is dominant in Meghalaya and its neighbouring state like Manipur, but it’s sad to see our Chief Minister and his party giving a red carpet, welcoming to his any Tom, Dick and Harry and I say this with the infamous blunder of “five Ri- Bhoi districts” in mind. Are these really the people you want in your party Mr. Chief Minister?
Admittedly, a politician can join whatever party he or she wishes to, but imagine being a politician sitting in the opposition for four long years unashamedly bashing, battering and questioning the competency of the party they now shake hands and rub shoulders with.
It’s ludicrous to believe that these so-called leaders are doing it for the betterment of their respective constituencies as they publicly claimed, when in reality they are simply just a pack of hyena’s waiting to masticate and feast off whatever is left of the MDA carcass.
Considering the upcoming 2023 election, the timing of these unscrupulous acts is obvious isn’t it? It reminds me of the old adage “if you can’t beat the enemy, you join them”. After all, no one expects politicians or political parties to be pure and holy. Anyone looking for these virtues should stay away from politics. But of course it’s not too high a standard either to expect politicians to not be pathological liars and their parties to not be a tent of lies, is it?
What is even more interesting is the five Congress legislators who successfully managed to beguiled our Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his minions without officially leaving the Congress party that they still represent till date. The question is why? Is the negotiation for tender meat still ongoing? After all, in recent days, the spouse of the now suspended CLP leader has publicly and officially traded the ‘hand’ for the ‘book’, what’s the hold up with his fair maiden? In the midst of her indecisiveness I hope she ponders on this quote by Abraham Lincoln “a house divided against itself cannot stand”.
We all know that sitting in the opposition side is not rainbows and unicorns for anyone. Their pockets are running dry and they need to make a quick buck to rescue them come 2023.
So, let’s leave the holier than thou attitude at the doorstep, and let’s just call a spade a spade shall we.
With that said, I sometimes wonder if politics is a profession or an art, regrettably not the awe inspiring kind of art but more like a con artist claiming oneself to be a professional while trying to convince any naive person that he/she is capable of creating a masterpiece.
2023 is coming sooner than we think. Granted the NPP will bring out their grand artillery and go out all guns blazing with the hope to govern the State solely, which I admit is an impressive aspiration but I hope the NPP doesn’t lose its stance while they’re too busy drooling over the newbies without noticing that their staunch supporters in some constituencies are quickly taking the exit.
Let’s hope that a leader of Conrad Sangma’s calibre will be wary of the wolves in sheep’s clothing lest his party gets dragged to the slaughter house and I hope the masses will see the con artists for who they really are with their empty promises and rhetorical hyperboles.
The ballot box will give the public a chance to rid these opportunistic malignant warts off once and for all. If not, the NPP as we now know it will sadly and inevitably turn into the good old Congress party but with a different symbol.
