Individual parties claim to form govt in 2018
SHILLONG: With the Congress apparently failing to protect its fortress in the State, opposition parties are preparing their moves to take advantage of the crisis in the upcoming Council by-polls and the 2018 Assembly elections.
Most of the opposition leaders that The Shillong Times spoke to agreed that their hard work and the Congress’s internal bickering would help non-Congress parties in the Council bye-elections on December 13.
Jemino Mawthoh, UDP’s working president, said, “Definitely, it is the UDP that will take the front seat. People are looking for a change and the MDC elections will be the first step.”
Mawthoh said MLAs and MDCs from different parties are awaiting a change from the Congress’s bad governance and are inclined to join the UDP.
“All is not well in the affairs of the state. Congress looks as if it is in the stage of collapse. There is infighting in the party as the Congress leaders are under pressure due to a lot of things happening and there will be mounting pressure and their reaction is going haywire,” the UDP leader said.
Welcoming an alliance, Mawthoh said, “In a democracy, all kinds of permutations and combinations are seen. If the political parties feel that they can go along with the UDP, we are open to alliance with like-minded parties who have the common objectives to save the State from further deterioration.”
Springing with confidence over the party’s victory at the Nongstoin bye-election, HSPDP chief Ardent Basaiawmoit said the party will be able to come to power in 2018. “We have worked hard and we have made a point that we will win,” he said.
With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making all efforts to gain foothold in Meghalaya, its state president Shibun Lyngdoh said, “In the bye-election, we don’t look at it (the Congress’s infighting) as an opportunity. But it is seen that the administration of the Autonomous District Council is not as per the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.”
Stating that some subjects of the District Council, which included primary education, has been snatched by the State government, he said, “The State government has interfered in the administration of the District Council and we want the people to know that. Strengthening the District Council in the lines of the Sixth Schedule will be included in the party’s manifesto.”
Lyngdoh added that the party will work to restore the identity of the District Council as per the Sixth Schedule.
National People’s Party’s national president Conrad Sangma said the Congress’s internal rift will have an impact on the 2018 elections. “What is happening in the Congress is sad and it is the failure of the party’s leadership in the State and it will have an impact on the upcoming 2018 elections,” he said.
However, he pointed out that people of the State have the power to elect their representatives. “It all depends on the people’s decision.”
Commenting on the party’s alliance he stated that the NPP is open to alliance with like-minded entities.