Common platform meeting
NONGSTOIN: Setting the election pace in Rambrai- Jyrngam constituency, candidates of the constituency held a common platform meeting at Rambrai on Wednesday amidst thousands of people.
First to hit the podium was the UDP. Delivering the ‘war of words’ from the UDP bastion were Bindo Lanong and Dr Jemino Mawthoh besides the candidate J T S Thongni. Beginning his speech Thongni accused the Congress Government of gross violation in the reserve forest at Athiabari, West Khasi Hills.
He further alleged that all the teak trees that were planted in the reserve forest were now no more there. He added that if the Congress Government would be majority in the KHADC, it would not be long when land grabbing would entail within the reserve forest.
Thongni also alleged that KHADC was an autonomous entity and yet the KHADC under the Congress sought suggestions and were also ordered by the AICC. He warned that if the Congress continued to come to power in Meghalaya, the KHADC would soon cease to exist.
He said that he had earlier approached the HSPDP candidate K P Pangniang who is also the MLA of the constituency and had requested him to spare the MDC seat and to refrain from contesting. He said he believed that one man holding two positions was incorrect.
He said that if he was chosen as an MDC, he would establish village courts in every village and subordinate courts in every Syiemships.
Thongni was also confident that the UDP would sweep the elections in JHADC and KHADC. Thongni also warned the people of voting for the ‘stranger’ that came to Rambrai only during elections and was invisible otherwise.
Dr Eureka President of the District Congress Committee West Khasi Hills told the people of Rambrai that if they voted for the INC candidate Kimfa Marbaniang, their dreams of making Rambrai a C and RD Block would become a reality soon. She revealed that Rambrai was also in the list of the proposed C & RD Block.
Addressing the mammoth gathering, Kimfa expressed his gratitude for voting for him in the last Assembly Election where he had secured second position.
Kimfa highlighted the various programmes initiated by the Congress in the country and the millions of lives it had changed. He added that the Congress upheld three basic ideologies- education, health and poverty.
He mentioned the various programmes under taken by the Congress in the education sector, health sector and poverty upliftment. He said allegations against the Congress that it was going to abolish the KHADC were false and baseless. He reminded that it was only the Congress that brought the KHADC to Meghalaya and questioned as to why they would abolish it. He urged the people to give themselves a chance to witness development by voting for him.
Incumbent MLA, MDC and HSPDP candidate K P Pangniang called himself a “forward player” in the fight to protect the rights of the border people.
He said one could not deny the works he had done as an MDC in Rambrai. He mentioned that it was only through his initiatives that the people of Langpih had registered their land with the KHADC to deny the Assam Government the chance for encroachment of their land.
He added that it was only the HSPDP that partook in the protest against the construction of the dam on the river Khri by the Brahmaputra Board of Assam. Regarding the allegation of holding dual positions of MLA and MDC, Pangniang said that an MLA and an MDC had different functions and that as an MDC he wanted to continue to protect the rights of the border people.