By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Congress candidate from Mawlai Constituency Founder S Cajee promised to make Mawlai a civil-subdivision if voted to power. Cajee was speaking during the common platform at Mawlai Nongpdeng here on Monday.
Taking credit for resolving the water problem in the constituency to a large extent after coming to power five years ago Cajee said, “From roads to water supply, I have done it all. If voted to power again, I will try and ease the traffic congestion in the area by constructing a bye pass from Mawtawar via Mawpat till NEIGRIHMS besides commissioning other developmental projects.”
However, heat rose on the platform when UDP candidate Embhah Syiemlieh came down heavily on Cajee stating that he has documental evidence to prove that the once water scarce town was brought to normalcy when PT Sawkmie
was the MLA between 1998-2003.
Ruing the fact that despite the existence of a PHC at Mawsiatkhnam, constructed by former MLA PT Sawkmie, Syiemlieh said, “It is sad to see that instead of doctors and nurses, the PHC is filled with cows and goats. How can an assurance to improve health sector be made when the already available space has not been used yet?”.
The UDP candidate also quoted MPCC president DD Lapang when he said that there are some MLAs who sleep in the assembly rather than raising a voice. “I can say that those words are also directed to our MLA, who instead of putting forth the problems faced by the people, prefers to take a nap,” he said.
Cajee had earlier christened UDP as Undisciplined Democratic Party while stating that “A losing team will always kick a man rather than a ball.”
Defending their own stance and manifestos, the other two candidates– KHNAM candidate Pyndapborthiaw Saibon and Independent candidate Teiborlang Pathaw reiterated that despite being ‘the backbone of the State, a lot still needs to be done in Mawlai’.
Earlier, Saibon slammed the UDP for calling itself a regional party even as it fielded a non-tribal candidate in Garo Hills. “The term regional party for the UDP is just a tag when in reality it can be rightfully called the ‘Team B’ in the MUA run government as their ideologies are similar to the Congress,” he alleged.
To this, Syiemlieh retorted that in 2008 when the UDP along with other light-minded parties formed the government, it only lasted for a year.
“The reason behind the collapse then was due to the betrayal of KHNAM under its then leader Paul Lyngdoh,” he said.
On the other hand, brushing asides reports which stated that Pathaw was a dummy candidate of the Congress, the candidate said, “I’m not an illiterate person to become a dummy for anyone. I am a transaction leader but a transformation leader.”
Promising the public to give a facelift to Mawlai, the Independent candidate cited the example of former chief minister (L) FA Khonglam who won a seat as an Independent and later joined HSPDP.