Bindo Mathew Lanong is a prominent name in the political hierarchy of Meghalaya. Known for maintaining a low profile, the Deputy Chief Minister in the MUA coalition, is often found buying his daily needs from Shillong market on his own.
He is one of the few politicians who held important positions in both the NCP-led and the Congress-led coalition ministries. He stood his ground when as the Speaker he disqualified MLAs who had defected and even did not allow Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai to enter into the Assembly. The matter went to the Supreme Court. But the Congress managed to play the toppling game by first imposing President’s Rule in the State and then springing back to power. Very few know that Lanong, a lawyer, was a reluctant entrant at the last moment.
This time he is facing not only the party he is in coalition with as Deputy Chief Minister but also his former party colleague Ampareen Lyngdoh.
In case of a serious upset for the Congress, he could be the candidate for the Chief Minister’s chair on behalf of his party.
Lanong stays in the sprawling Assam type Government Bungalow where once the legendary first Chief Minister of then undivided Assam, late Gopinath Bordolai, was staying when Shillong was the capital.
New Delhi based Special Correspondent of The Shillong Times, CK Nayak, caught up with the UDP working president at his official residence in Shillong.
ST: When Congress is confident of forming next Government on its own how you are claiming that your party UDP might form the next Government especially when your presence in Garo Hills is insignificant?
Bindo: Let me answer the later part of your question first. It is not correct to say that UDP has insignificant presence in Garo Hills. If you go by electoral records in some seats we were in close second position next only to NCP or Congress in 2008 and previous Assembly polls. We had one MLA from there. This time with Congress losing ground and division between NCP and NPP, we will do better.
ST: Even in the best of scenario how many seats are you expecting from Garo Hills which is considered a fiefdom of either Purno or Mukul?
Bindo: We are confident of at least seven seats from Garo Hills. And mark my words, minimum four from that area.
ST: But even in Khasi-Jaintia hills there are other major regional parties as players.
Bindo: In Meghalaya barring UDP, other regional parties have declined gradually. Look at HSPDP. They had just two MLAs and both are contesting against each other. MDP is said to be reviving but in last polls they drew a blank. KHNAM’s main leader Paul Lyngdoh has joined our party. The NPP is an offshoot of NCP. Even two of NCP MLAs have also not joined the regional party. Barring UDP there is no major regional party which is in upswing.
ST: What about national parties?
Bindo: Among the national parties, BJP started with three MLAs and now it has no legislator in Meghalaya with the last one joining Congress. NCP is only in skeleton form. Congress is a divided house with so many factions. Where are the national parties? And national parties might be good at the Centre but not in the State. Look at Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal all ruled by de facto regional parties only.
ST: But these are big states and it took long time.
Bindo: Then you see Sikkim, Nagaland and till recently Mizoram, all our next door neighbours.
ST: There are divisions and dissensions within your party too.
Bindo: There will be differences of opinion in all parties. But our difference is not like that of Congress. They have changed Chief Ministers twice in previous Government as well as this Government. We might have differences of opinion but not differences of mind.
ST: But your party remained a coalition partners in both then NCP-led coalition Government and now Congress-ruled Government.
Bindo: But we protested each time. We always insisted that there should be stable Government and frequent change of both Government and leadership affects the morale. But they did not pay any heed because of their inner contradictions. In important cases like election of President we voted on different lines and not with the ruling coalition.
ST: If you thought that your head coalition partner (Congress) was not paying any heed to your sentiments and demands your party should have withdrawn from the Government. Even now your party is contesting against Congress even while sharing power with it.
Bindo: Look, the state is above both politics and Government. Till date no single party has ever achieved majority to form a Government on its own in Meghalaya. That means there has to be collation in some form or the other.
Having said that I must also point out that a coalition Government should not be formed time and again. Nor the State should go for frequent polls which are not in interest of any one let alone the State.
ST: So is remaining in coalition a compulsion?
Bindo: Call it compulsion or necessity. It seems there is no choice, not till date at least.
ST: If your party comes back to power what are the issues it will like to take up?
Bindo: Issues like connectivity, power, agriculture, proper demarcation of national and international borders and improving sports infrastructure will be our main focus. There will be improvement in the educational system in the State and establishing full-fledged medical, engineering, and other such colleges in the State will be our aim.
We also promised to address the challenging issue of employment in the State by supporting cottage industries, establishing a market for different products and also ensuring the transparency of the selections in MPSC, DSC, etc.
ST: There was protest from some women organisations against your certain comments in the past and in the recent past too.
Bindo: I am a lawyer. I too hold senior positions like Speaker and now Deputy Chief Minister. I have never made such comments. Such comments are wrongly attributed to me or quoted out of context. It is also not true that some women organisations took umbrage to some of my comments. It is a few women which took it otherwise.
ST: As head of the committee you have recommended in favour of Inner Line Permit. What are the justifications?
Bindo: In two states of North East, the indigenous population has become a minority in their own home state. Inner line permit will prevent that for Meghalaya in future.
ST: But if ILP is introduced in Meghalaya a person who does not belong to the State will need ILP even while from his state to other even when travelling. Is that possible?
Bindo: There can be mechanism to solve that problem. Even some other states in NE do have ILP even now.
ST: Is it not a paradox that you are in power with the Congress and still fighting against it?
Bindo: That is the practice in Meghalaya most of the time. Even Congress continued in power with regional parties in last elections. Meghalaya is a small state. You must consider the ground realities.
ST: One last question. Will you become the Chief Minister if the Government is formed by your party as the single largest party?
Bindo: Unlike in one national party we do not have a race for Chief Minister’s chair. We do not have different factions either. Our MLAs will decide who will be the Chief Minister? I have not thrown my hat in the ring for the Chief Minister’s post nor will I run away if MLAs elect me.