From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Former Union Minister of State, Vincent H Pala, on Monday made it clear that most of the Congress candidates lost in the recent Assembly polls not because of his ‘so called interference’ but due to the diktats of the village heads called Elaka in Jaintia Hills.
Talking to news persons here, Pala said that this time most of the candidates who won from Jaintia Hills were backed by the Elaka. “By tradition the tribal villages go by the wish of the village heads since they do not want to antagonise them,” he said.
Pala came under attack from his own party men since defeated Congress candidate Shitlang Pale managed to secure only eight votes from Pala’s village – Lamyrsiang in Sutnga Saipung constituency – out of total of 404 votes polled.
Pala also produced polling figures of most polling stations where the party candidate got less number of votes.
“It is obvious that a losing candidate, irrespective of his party affiliation, will receive fewer votes than the winner,” Pala said, adding, “Though I represent Khasi-Jaintia Hills as an MP there are many other tall leaders from that area where the Congress candidates drew less votes. An MP can only help the party contestants within his area but a lot depends on the candidate also.”
Pala also denied that he had supported his close friend Hopeful Bamon, who won as an Independent candidate.
“That way Shitlang Pale was my classmate and my own party man,” Pala said.
This time some of the opposition candidates who won were related to the village heads. Moreover, there was no division of votes in their case since most of such candidates backed by village heads were single contestants unlike on earlier occasions when there were more candidates.
When questioned about the loss of confidence of his own people as alleged by his own party men, Pala said that the Assembly elections are not Lok Sabha polls.
“I had won in Lok Sabha polls and in many states assembly polls and Lok Sabha polls have gone in different ways since the issues are different,” he said.
Known Pala loyalists who failed to win from West Khasi Hills include Kingford Kharsyntiew (Rambrai-Jyrngam), Dr Eureka P Lyngdoh (Mairang), Methodius Dkhar (Mawshynrut) and Boldness Nongum (Mawthadraishan).
From East Khasi Hills, Jropsing Nongkhlaw (Shella), Pynehborlang Mukhim (Mawryngkneng) and Drola Khongjoh (Mawkynrew), considered Pala loyalists, also lost, a memorandum from some his party adversaries said.
Pala clarified that he canvassed for all the party candidates as a disciplined party man. “As an MP I have to take support of all sections of the party and cannot work against the official nominees under any circumstances,” he added.
