What a range of contestants!
Elections are a great leveler. You have people from different works of life such as plumbers, shoe makers (as opposed to a shoe repairer of cobbler), and anyone with a little ambition. You have the illiterate; the school drop-out the highly educated, the poor and the very wealthy all in one platform. All of them sell one dream – they will better the lives of people through development. There is no one to ask then what development model they intend to use. Then there is Brensly Ryntathiang, the KHNAM candidate from 34-Mawshynrut constituency who is strolling around the DC’s office in Nongstoin and asks each and every candidate to support him with Rs 5000, which is the amount required as security deposit to contest polls. He has even approached the DC, West Khasi Hills who could not help him out because that would amount to violation of the effective model code of conduct. This time the stage is set for a very eclectic group of people to enter the fray (hopefully not the August House). They include people who have cheated the public of Meghalaya of their due share of good health by peddling spurious drugs with the State Health Department actively colluding in the process. But that was some time ago before those Government contractors had not been reborn in the avatar of motor car retailers. Politics sure attracts some of the most incongruent people to its fold.
Of turncoat supporters
We have heard of turncoat politicians but not of turncoat political supporters. Some people have all the time in the world and the enthusiasm to join election rallies. These obviously are people without work for you cannot expect people taking leave from their jobs to join these rallies. The feasting and free rides are what entice people to lend their voices in support of their candidates. Ironically Shillong Jottings which keeps its eyes and ears wide and follows these rallies incognito found something interesting. The same people who had rallied with a candidate to the DC’s office while filing nominations for one candidate were seen in the rally of a rival the next day. In one such instance, the supporters of Ampareen Lyngdoh of Shillong East constituency were seen rallying with her rival the next day. The size of the rally therefore is no indicator of the support that a candidate has especially because there are a quite a few under-aged urchins looking for a good feast that fill up the buses and cars that make up the rally. Since the voters know that they would be forgotten by their leader after the election, they too are showing their chameleon like colours during this campaign period. No time like this one for opportunists to make hay. The sun will shine for them only up to February 23. After that they are a forgotten lot.
When personal is political
For want of any issues to bring before the public, some key campaigners are resorting to personal diatribes while others are giving the candidate a certificate of good conduct. A sitting MLA campaigning on behalf of his colleague in a rural constituency said, “Mr …… is a good man and I can testify to this because he often comes and sits with my wife. I don’t know what they talk to each other. The only reason I allow them to have these conversations is because my wife has no complaints and this means that he does not misbehave with her.” If this is the tome and tenor of our election campaigns then Meghalaya is surely going on reverse gear. We hope such discussions about personal experiences do not become the stuff that legislative assembly debates are made of. Those who don’t have the gift of the gab depend on musicians and songs to woo the voters into the land of Alice …. The wonderland that she speaks about so eloquently. Meghalaya has no problems so what can candidates talk about? It’s appropriately stated that people get the government they deserve. People who allow candidates to take them for a joyride with song and dance deserve what they get. They should not complain!