Shillong, Mar 5: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has shown extreme insensitivity by choosing a Shillong Lok Sabha by-election candidate so soon after the demise of the incumbent MP, Ricky AJ Syngkon, the state Congress Party president Vincent Pala said today.
The VPP’s election committee recommended, on March 2, the name of party spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh to run in the by-poll, which was necessitated after Syngkon died suddenly on February 19. That was less than two weeks following the shock heart attack that rocked Khasi-Jaintia Hills and led to an outpouring of public grief.
“I feel the VPP forgot that he (Syngkon) passed away hardly 12-15 days ago (in actual fact, it was two weeks exactly today). To discuss politics, I personally feel it is too early,” Pala said.
The Congress will not discuss fielding a candidate until a month from Syngkon’s death, he added. “His family members are still in mourning and lots of people are still visiting [his residence to pay condolences],” Pala stated. “I don’t feel it is right to speak politics at this stage.”
Pala, a three-time Shillong MP, had been unseated in a spectacular election win for the VPP in the 2024 general election, with Syngkon winning an absolute majority of votes. Pala’s vote share crashed from 53.52 percent to under 20 percent as he shed more than 2 lakh votes.
