By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: For Information and Technology minister AL Hek two Ps – personality and performance – play major roles in winning elections in recent times, not political affiliation which hitherto was a dominant factor.
The former BJP legislator who shifted his allegiance to Congress has claimed that the shifting of allegiance would not affect his chances in retaining Pynthorumkhrah seat in the upcoming assembly elections due in 2013.
Talking to The Shillong Times here on Monday, Hek said electorate in Meghalaya do not follow party-based politics and choose their representatives on the basis of his or her performance and personality.
“Shifting allegiance from one party to another won’t make any difference to me,” he said.
Speculations are rife that Hek, who has retained Pynthorumkhrah seat for three consecutive terms from BJP, may find going tough this time due to his defection to Congress in 2009.
Hek, however, does not subscribe to this view saying “Congress is an accepted party and it has a lot of impact in the state.”
The Congress leader is all set to face former Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie in the upcoming elections.
Reacting to a query on his preparedness for the 2013 elections, he said he along with his party workers have already started campaigning.
According to Hek, the mahila blocks and even the youths blocks have already started the campaign for the party in Pynthorumkhrah constituency.
Speaking on his opponent PT Sawkmie, he said the former legislator had been making false promises of giving Government jobs to every one if he wins the elections.
“People of Pynthorumkhrah are intelligent enough and the question is how many jobs he had provided to the unemployed when he was a minister for seven long years,” he said.
It may be recalled that in the last assembly elections, Hek defeated his nearest rival James Marvin Pariat by a margin of 8,559 votes. Hek secured 13086 votes while Pariat got only 4,527 votes.
