SHILLONG: The rise of the BJP in Shillong is something to reckon with, UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh admitted on Monday.
“Not only in my constituency, the BJP candidate secured the maximum of the votes in almost all the constituencies in Shillong which is really an unusual phenomenon,” the UDP working president said while referring to the voting pattern in the Assembly constituencies comprising the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
Asked about the reason for his dismal performance even in his own constituency, Lyngdoh said it was due to the “Modi wave”.
He also admitted that the BJP’s emergence as a force in the State would be a worry for Congress. “Congress will be losing its monopoly to be the lone dominant national party in the State, seeing the growing popularity of the BJP,” Lyngdoh added.
He, however, claimed that the UDP had strengthened its position to be the main regional force in the State, polling over 100,000 votes.
“We are happy with the number of votes which we have got. We have got these votes neither with the support of any anti-faction group nor by seeking votes on religious lines. We have these votes on our strength and also because of the acceptance of the party by the people,” Lyngdoh said. It was wrong on the part of independent candidate Rev PBM Basaiawmoit to blame the UDP for his defeat, Lyngdoh added.
Lyngdoh justified the decision of his party not to extend support to Basaiawmoit in the Shillong seat, arguing that this would have diluted the regional cause. Basaiawmoit polled the second highest number of votes and a division of votes between him and Lyngdoh helped in the victory of Congress candidate Vincent H Pala.
Analyzing the voting pattern in various constituencies under the Shillong parliamentary seats, he said that Rev Basaiawmoit recorded a lead in East and West Jaintia Hills including Ri-Bhoi where neither HSPDP nor KHNAM (the two parties which supported Rev Basaiawmoit) had any kind of base.
“Similarly, Rev Basaiawmoit was leading in the constituencies in Ri-Bhoi like Umroi and Jirang on account of the Congress vote bank,” the UDP working president said.
According to him, of the total number of votes polled in favour of Basaiawmoit the share of the Congress vote banks were more than that of both HSPDP and KHNAM.
“This is an open secret since the KHNAM president Pyndapborthiaw Saibon had made an admission which was even reported in the media that Rev Basaiawmoit was getting the support of various Congress MLAs,” the UDP working president said, accusing Basaiawmoit to be the unofficial candidate of anti-Pala faction led by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
The UDP working president also accused Rev Basaiawmoit of appealing for votes along the religious lines. “As a party, we do not believe to any kind of attempt of seeking votes by using the religious sentiment of the people. We believe in equal respect of all religion. This attempt to divide community along religious lines is a dangerous trend,” Lyngdoh said.