Many of the localities in the city have suffered
badly in the past five years due to delimitation
of the constituencies.
It has been reported that majority of these localities who have been aligned with the new delimited constituency are crying for development.
It is found that that even the sitting MLAs are not very keen to allot schemes to the localities which no longer fall under their constituency following the delimitation.
The reason for this ungenerous attitude of the legislators is because they are not going to benefit anything even if they allot schemes to these localities since they would no longer be able to cast their votes in the candidate’s favour.
These localities are caught in catch-22 situation since even the sitting legislator who is going to contest from the new delimited constituency are prohibited to allot schemes to these localities. The sitting legislator cannot divert schemes of one particular constituency to a new delimited constituency. Majority of the sitting legislators have denied that they are biased in allotting schemes to those localities that have moved out from their constituency.
During an informal interaction with the media, Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh maintained that she continues to allot schemes to localities which no longer fall under Laitumkhrah constituency.
It may be mentioned there are many localities like Dum Dum which had carved out of Laitumkhrah constituency and have always complained of being overlooked since they are now in the new delimited Nongthymmai constituency which has no MLA.
The same complaint is not restricted to Ampareen even her opponent in the ensuing Assembly election from Laitumkhrah constituency Deputy Chief Minister Bindo Mathew Lanong has been blame for overlooking the localities which earlier fall under Malki-Nongthymmai constituency like Madanriting and others. Lanong however has claimed that he is continuing to allot schemes to many localities which fall under previous Malki-Nongthymmai constituency. “It is misleading to say that I have not allotted any schemes,” the Deputy Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, there are repeated allegations from various quarters that there are many sitting legislators who are releasing the MLA schemes in the last minute to help in the ensuing Assembly election.
This trend is prevailing in almost all the constituency under Shillong constituency
These localities under new delimited constituencies who have been overlooked for the past five years would be hoping that developmental programme would come their way once the new Assembly session commenses.
(By Lamphrang Nongspung)