By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Campaigns for the February 23 Assembly polls ended on a peaceful note in the State at 4 pm on Thursday with candidates of all political parties along with the Independents taking out procession to drum up support till the last minute.
As a show of strength on the last day of the campaign, the political parties and their candidates used vehicles with flags atop and took out rallies across the State resulting in prolonged traffic congestion in several areas.
Though children did not have voting rights, they played a crucial role in the election campaigns providing additional crowd to the candidates. They filled up vehicles and even announced the achievement of the contestants through microphones during the campaigns.
As many as 345 candidates are in the fray for the 60 seats for the 9th Assembly and over 15 lakh voters (1503907) will cast their ballot on the polling day on Saturday.
Though the election dates were announced during the early part of January, candidates had been campaigning since December last year.
Even though the overall campaign was dull, several
candidates resorted to personal attacks on other contesting candidates while brushing aside real issues concerning the people.
In the mudslinging melee, several candidates failed to assure the people on how they will improve the constituencies.
While the Congress harped on providing more job opportunities to the youths and ensuring stability, other political parties called for a change.
In Khasi Hills, there were not many serious complaints lodged against the contesting candidates, while there were complaints on the part of an Independent candidate in Williamnagar against the interference of GNLA during the campaign.
There was also an instance of attack on HSPDP leader HS Lyngdoh in Nongstoin.
During the campaigns, there were a few cases of seizure of money by the flying squads in parts of the State.
The nature of campaigns varied from door-to-door meeting with voters, street corner meetings and public rallies attended by both national and regional leaders.
The Congress and the BJP had roped in national leaders including Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Raj Babbar, Arun Jaitley, Smriti Irani among others.
Political leaders from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa had also campaigned.
Prominent among the State leaders who campaigned several hours included NPP leader PA Sangma, Congress veterans Mukul Sangma, DD Lapang and Vincent Pala.
The political parties in the fray include Congress (all 60 candidates), UDP(50),NPP (32),NCP(21) HSPDP (17) BJP(13) SP (11) GNC (6), KHNAM and LJP, (4 each) MDP (2) Rashtriya Secular Congress, North East Social Democratic Party and CPI (1 each) and independents ( 122).
The leaders of major political parties used choppers to reach out to the far flung areas of the State especially in Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills.
The special bus used by NPP leader PA Sangma during his campaign in Garo Hills has raised curiosity among the villagers and they termed it as a ‘magic bus’.
The overall campaign in the State was peaceful with no untoward incidents reported from any quarters.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal, who is also the District Electoral Officer, said that if anyone was found campaigning after 4 pm, FIR will be filed against them.
With the election process gaining momentum, polling parties have also moved out to the various polling stations.
The Chief Electoral Officer P Naik said that there were no clashes during the campaign and by and large it was peaceful.
An election official said that like in the past, there was not much noise during the campaigns and the visitors and tourists have opined that it is a quiet election in Meghalaya.
Our Tura correspondent adds
Purno tours Garo Hills, Mukul concentrates in Ampati
Electioneering for Saturday’s polls in Garo Hills ended on a quiet note on Thursday with all major political parties and candidates making the most of the last hours before its closure and no untoward incidents were reported from any region.
The two political heavyweights, Congress chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma and NPP supremo Purno A Sangma were visible with their campaign on the last day.
Dr Mukul Sangma left his home in Ampati during the early morning hours to hold two major political rallies at Garodoba and Saptoka which fall under his own constituency.
NPP leader PA Sangma left Tura by chopper to land at six different constituencies in the Garo Hills to garner votes for his candidates.
The NPP national president campaigned at two different places under Songsak for his candidate and sitting MLA Nihim D Shira, at Mangokgre in Dadenggre for his elder son James Pangsang K Sangma, at Nundupara in Phulbari for party candidate Sader Hussain, at Gandhipara in Rangsakona for NPP candidate Dipul Marak and finally at Rohonpara in Salmanpara for his nephew and candidate Boston Marak.
Just as the two major players in the political scenario of Garo Hills other parties and Independent candidates also went all out to garner votes for themselves.