SHILLONG: Non-Congress candidates are confident of clinching the district council seat of Nongspung-Sohiong constituency despite it being a stronghold of Congress leader and Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh.
The Shillong Times spoke to the candidates ahead of the by-polls to the KHADC on December 13 as they highlighted some of the issues that have been the bone of contention in the constituency.
BJP candidate Kyntiewborlang Syiemlieh has stressed on bringing unity among the leaders of the traditional institutions in the constituency, and if voted to power, he promised to resolve the boundary issue of the constituency with neighbouring villages.
“If people support us, we will strive to bring unity among the traditional institutions in the constituency. Another issue is that Nongspung-Sohiong does not have proper boundaries; the neighbouring villages are unaware of the boundary and it may lead to strife among them.
“We need to work out measures to demarcate boundaries for these villages,” he said and added that people were now fully aware that regional parties mislead them by talking about indigenous tribes and boundary issues.
He also said people have now realised that there is no future in regional parties and that the states governed by the BJP are among the most developed in the country.
UDP’s Wankupar Syiemlieh, a third time contestant, is positive about people’s response in his favour and said if voted to power, he would focus on strengthening the KHADC laws vis-à-vis the traditional institutions and the trade.
Commenting on the struggles of the people in the constituency, he said, “The leadership has remained the same. If the son Nathaniel Osbert Rymmai (INC) wins, there will be no difference as it would be perceived as a victory for the father (HDR Lyngdoh).”
“The Congress has many issues. From stripping the traditional heads of their power, to encouraging MUDA encroachment, the party has failed the people of the constituency,” he said.
He claimed that over 120 Congress functionaries have joined the UDP’s public meeting at Kynroh thus giving a boost to the party.
Meanwhile, HSPDP president Ardent Basaiawmoit, who spoke on behalf of the party’s candidate Samlin Malngiang, said the electorate are yearning for a change. “We have high expectations from the constituency. People are desperate for a change and their hopes rest on the HSPDP,” he claimed.
Commenting on some of the issues that the candidates addressed during the campaign he said that there were talks about ushering in clean politics in the KHADC and doing away with its interference in the administration of traditional chiefs and village heads. “The KHADC has interfered a lot in the administration of the traditional heads as it tries to divide the people so as to bring in candidates of its choice,” Basaiawmoit added.
Congress leader John Kharshiing, who spoke on behalf of party candidate Nathaniel Osbert Rymmai, said that having campaigned in Nongspung-Sohiong, it was clear that the party was well ahead in the constituency.
The Congress is banking on the campaign and strategy of Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh in the constituency. Lyngdoh, who has been co-coordinating the campaign, is keen to ensure the victory of his son Rymmai.
