There’s a “change” brewing in the air as Meghalaya There’s a “change” brewing in the air as Meghalaya heads for yet another Assembly election early next year. The common belief apparently is that regional parties would have their say in 2018, much like they had when the state was formed in the early 1970s.The regional parties, United Democratic Party (UDP) and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), have this time joined hands to take on the incumbent Congress and the BJP.Senior working president of UDP, Bindo Mathew Lanong, is sensing a change and is almost certain that a regional coalition will form the government next year. A seasoned campaigner who stepped into the political bandwagon when he was just 23, Lanong, now 68, says the regional parties enjoy the goodwill of the people of Meghalaya who not only want a change but are fed up with the Mukul Sangma-led Congress government, which according to him, “has failed on all fronts”.Saurav Bora caught up with the charismatic former deputy chief minister and former Meghalaya Speaker at his Malki residence for an exclusive interview on Tuesday afternoon. Here are excerpts from the interview:ST: What do you say about the pre-poll alliance with HSPDP?Lanong: We had arrived at the decision with the view that we would have a coalition government after the elections. We also have an alliance with the Garo National Council in the Garo Hills. This coalition, we feel, will work and certainly bring the desired results in 2018.ST: What is the latest on the common minimum programmes between the parties besides your own separate agenda for the polls?Lanong: We are yet to decide. Now we are in the process of selecting candidates. The next step will be to sit and discuss the common minimum programmes.ST: How many seats will the alliance be contesting and how many do you think you will win?Lanong: We will contest almost all the seats except in Garo Hills. We should cross the minimum requirement. We expect to win over 30 seats.
ST: What about your constituency (East Shillong) where you will be fighting sitting Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and BJP’s Antonio War?Lanong: (Pauses for a few seconds) The mind of the people is very positive… they need a change. In order to have that transition, the government has to change. The Congress should be replaced and only the regional parties can replace the ruling party.ST: What happened in the 2013 elections when you lost the East Shillong seat to Ampareen Lyngdoh, now a minister in the Mukul Sangma Cabinet? What may be the factors that contributed to the debacle?Lanong: 2013 was a different story altogether. 2018 will be another. At that time, the Congress was still there in Delhi. Now, the Congress is out.ST: What is your take on money power playing a significant role in the elections?Lanong: Horrible!! This is a new element that has crept into Meghalaya. We had a Congress candidate who doled out money last time. There was a public complaint against her. This time also, she is doing the same. But the people are aware and will complain.ST: What is your assessment on the incumbent Congress?Lanong: Well, the Congress has failed on every front, be it checking traffic congestion, creating employment or providing adequate water supply. There’s corruption everywhere, and as a result, the economy has suffered. Such is the situation that the government cannot even pay the salaries of its employees or its power bills. Contractors are not willing to be associated with the PWD and PHE, apprehending their payments would be held up.Then again, here we have a chief minister (Mukul Sangma) who is shielding the corrupt. There was no action against a minister whose guest house was associated with anti-social activities or another minister, who was involved in a teachers’ job scam.ST: UDP is said to be the ‘B’ team of the Congress. What’s your view?Lanong: (Laughs) Absolutely not. It is only the Congress which is saying it.ST: What about the BJP factor playing a role in the elections? Of late, two Independent MLAs have joined the party.Lanong: The BJP is too new to Meghalaya, so they will not have much of a say I think. More importantly, their imposition on food habits (beef ban), dress and religious faith, has not gone well with the people of Meghalaya (a Christian-majority state). The BJP needs to respect the Constitution and restrict itself within the parameters of the Constitution. I doubt whether they would get four to five seats even.About the Independent MLAs joining the BJP, they are already defeated, wherever they join. The people will not support them.ST: Do you see regional forces regaining the “kingmaker image” that it once enjoyed when the state was formed?Lanong: Yes, the regional parties have the goodwill of the people, who want a change. So, we hope to regain the image that we had in the past.ST: How does the party view the ILP issue? Also your take on the railway link to Byrnihat/Shillong?Lanong: Well, I was made the chairman of a committee for implementation of the ILP by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, back in 2012, just a few months before the elections. It was a race against time but we managed to forward the views of stakeholders to the government. However, the government came up with another approach (Tenancy Act) instead and set up another committee after dissolving our panel. That was a surprise.I personally feel that influx from porous borders with our neighbouring countries must be checked.On the railway project, I feel that the people do not need the rail link to Shillong as the track stops in the city. Had it gone on to connect another town/city, it would have been different. Also, railways will only add to the traffic congestion, pollution and result in environmental degradation. We should not spoil the beauty of Shillong. Instead, we should build flyovers to ease the traffic congestion that the city grapples with everyday.ST: Lastly, if the regional coalition forms the government, what would be on top of your agenda, to start with?Lanong: We are looking at building better roads, providing affordable healthcare to the poor and to people in the rural areas, besides improving the economy, which has taken an abrupt hit following the NGT ban on coal, limestone and timber. A mining policy, which was drafted in 2011, approved by the Cabinet but not implemented, is the need of the hour. Law and order, which as of now has deteriorated, will have to be maintained.