By Albert Thyrniang
Finally the Congress has announced all the 60 candidates for next month’s Assembly elections. An average follower of the state politics knows who picked and chose the names and why. The Chief Minister justified the list by declaring that that winnability is the only criterion followed. It’s true but there’s much more to it. The Congress heavy weights in the state tried to outsmart and out-weigh each other.
The most glaring case is that of Rangsakona Constituency in West Garo Hills. Adolf Lu Hitler R Marak, currently an NCP MLA was lured and given ticket from Bajengdoba Constituency to make way for Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma’s younger brother Zenith M Sangma to contest from Rangsakona Constituency. Adolf Hitler, who was once arrested on charges of harbouring militants, had defeated the junior Sangma in the last election from the same constituency. The fall out is: Bajengdoba will have a rebel candidate narrowing the prospect of the party there.
A case of family ties superseding everything else is the allotment of ticket to the wife of the Chief Minister, Mrs. Dikkanchi D Shira who will try her luck from Mahendraganj constituency. It is not known how long the better half of the Chief Minister has been a primary member of the party of her spouse; whether she had held any responsibility/post or served the party in any capacity is not known, but there are certainly more deserving and even winnable candidates than her. If others have mastered the art of promoting family dynasty why should the Chief Minister of the state be far behind? Now the CM will have three members of his family vying for the Legislative Assembly. Two other lucky brothers who were declared Congress candidates are Sniawbhalang Dhar and Ngaitlang Dhar from Nartiang and Umroi constituency respectively.
Another blatant case is that of Nongstoin. The party ticket goes to Dr. Pariong Lyngdoh, who is presently the HSPDP MLA from Pariong Constituency. Naturally Congressmen from the capital of West Khasi Hills are bitter that the party ticket is given to a rank outsider. What is interesting here is that the physician is up against his former mentor and HSPDP’s founder, Hopingstone Lyngdoh. The electorate will decide whether the junior and senior Lyngdoh will represent them after the elections. The former pretended to be a loving and caring doctor (especially to children) before finding his true calling in politics while the latter is responsible for keeping Nongstoin and West Khasi Hills as a whole in a time warp of under-development. Of course, a third or a fourth candidate may upset their plans. Other ‘non-Congressmen’ who will have the right to contest on a Congress ticket are Lamison D Sangma from Raksamgre, Manas Chaudhuri from South Shillong and AT Mondal from Phulbari.
A prominent Congress leader in West Khasi Hills who was denied party ticket is Irene Lyngdoh, the former representative from Pariong Constituency. She is a victim of the MPCC president, DD Lapang’s tricks who favoured his close aide Boldness L Nongum. While terming the party’s decision not to allot her the ticket from Mawthadraishan as ‘backstabbing’, she has already decided to contest as a rebel independently. Ms Lyngdoh who had done some visible developmental work in her former backward constituency while she was an MLA could ensure the defeat of her rival.
The party’s ticket from Mawkyrwat went to Rowell Lyngdoh. The Deputy Chief Minister who played no part in the formation of the new district – South West Khasi Hills, escaped embarrassment as he was the only applicant for the party ticket. The twice returned MLA was comfortably unaware of the process to form new districts. A Deputy Chief Minister was kept in the dark! It speaks volumes! When he woke up to the reality that his home district, the biggest in the state was overlooked he even refused to resign and take responsibility. Apart from his ineffectiveness, a casual tour of his constituency will tell that he had done precious little. These days contractors’ bills are passed but there are no road repair works of any kind taking place anywhere. As for the rest, the less said the better!
A person who benefited from Union Minister Vincent H Pala’s influence is his close aide Methodius Dkhar. Pala, who was himself, not long ago given party ticket to the Lok Sabha for being a multi-crore-pati made sure that Dkhar, a party member for just a few months, got the ticket at the expense of the long serving State Mahila Congress general secretary, Pelcy Snaitang. No wonder the shattered Snaitang resigned from the party and announced her Independent candidature from Mawshynrut constituency.
Another case of Pala bulldozing his might is the success of his aide Jropsing Nongkhlaw to secure the party ticket from Shella constituency. The Shella Block Congress Committee (SBCC) president, Leston Wanswett has to learn the hard way that the Congress is an undemocratic party. Like many others, he is helpless except to protest by throwing himself in the ring to spoil the party of the cash rich coal baron, Pala. The government employee turned politician has now manifested his interest in state politics.
Call it a game of one-up-manship or internal bickering the power struggle is in three directions (persons). Each one tried to get his pound of flesh. Each one tried to be more powerful than the other. Ultimately and smartly they agreed on status quo. Union Minister Vincent H Pala firmly controls Jaintia Hills; DD Lapang holds sway in Khasi Hills and the Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma rules Garo Hills. Those who were in their favour were rewarded; those out of favour were omitted. Each power house liberally handed party tickets to their chose aides and relatives and discarded deserving, genuine, hardworking and long serving party men and women. They checkmated those that are a threat to them.
The power struggle is not over with the declaration of the 60 candidates. It will go on up to the elections and beyond. The three most powerful men will now put up dummy candidates and under cover help party ticket losers to win wherever they challenge the rivals’ close aides who were declared as official nominees. Disgruntled ticket seekers who have not taken things lying down will be determined to play spoil sports. They are up in arms to revenge the ‘injustice’. A wave of sympathy for being ‘victimized’ could work in their favour. The biggest and oldest national party is in for a serious trouble. Its hopes and prospects of securing a majority in the Legislative Assembly will be a tough ask.
The issue here is that the candidates were decided on the basis of influence, power and family ties not on merit. Manipulation was evident. This is against democratic principles. It is an insult to workers who had served the party. It is a slap on their faces. It will kill hard work and party loyalty. They count for nothing as tickets are given to members of other political parties and new comers! The excuse given in winnability! Is winnability more important that hard work and party loyalty? Is winnability alone justified? If so why have a political party? Why have state, district and block units? Why have party functionaries? There is no point. Just choose winnable candidates from anywhere. The party with the symbol of the Hand has sacrificed democratic principles at the altar of power struggle.