North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum has no fear of being completely transparent with his constituents regarding how he has spent funds on the area over the last four years.
MLAs are provided with funds from the state government for their constituencies and this amounts to more than Rs 10 crore in a five-year period, Nongrum said, and the people have a right to know what this money was spent on.
“I will go with a report card to my constituents because there is nothing to hide,” he told Highland Post today. “I’m transparent and I have fulfilled at my level of MLA whatever developments and requirements that are needed in my constituency.”
Nongrum pointed to having only one car and living in a rented house as evidence that he has not benefited personally from his time in office.
Meanwhile, on the subject of his leaving KHNAM, Nongrum said, “I’ll miss KHNAM but I don’t regret it because I have tried to strengthen the party and stick with it.”
Nongrum is the lone KHNAM legislator but has been involved in an on-off fight with other members for the party leadership.
Although he has not made up his mind on what party to join, he spoke warmly of the Voice of the People Party (VPP), a new outfit floated by former-MLA Ardent Basaiawmoit. He has already met with the former Nongkrem legislator and talks with the VPP are ongoing.
Nongrum’s main objective going forward will be to make Meghalaya a corruption-free state and address youth unemployment. However, the power to elect clean politicians who will do something about these issues rests with the public and they must first want change before it can come to Meghalaya.
“Maybe everyone is silent because everyone is involved with the ‘high levels’,” he quipped.
