The Hill State People’s Democratic Party is banking on the “pro-The Hill State People’s Democratic Party is banking on the “pro- regional party drift” which the party says will bring about a change in both government and governance in 2018. In a strategic alliance for a “regional vote bank” with another regional stalwart, the United Democratic Party, the party is going all out to ensure a non-Congress and a non-BJP government in Meghalaya next year.As a matter of fact, HSPDP president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit is confident that a regional coalition will rule the state for the next five years. The former FKJGP president, who had fought successfully as a UDP candidate from Nongkrem constituency in 2008 and as a HSPDP candidate in 2013, says clean politics and a corruption-free government is what the alliance wants to ensure if they are brought to power.The St. Anthony’s graduate says he will try to emulate the ideals of the party’s founder, late Hoping Stone Lyngdoh, and fulfill his dream of a separate Khasi-Jaintia state in the long run.Saurav Bora travelled to his quaint Laitkor residence on the outskirts of the city to catch up with the 45-year-old leader on Thursday afternoon.
Here are the excerpts of the interview:
ST: How would you describe your transition from the FKJGP (Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People) leader to the president of currently the oldest regional party in the state?
Ardent: See…There is a difference between being a social activist and a political leader…where, as a social activist you have to raise issues, submit representations, memorandums and ultimatums in regard to long pending issues/demands to the government…and if the government does not act, you have to resort to demonstrations and agitation.
But as a political leader, you have a platform…an opportunity to raise issues in the Assembly and make your voice heard.
The transition has been very difficult though…it has been hard work involving a lot of sacrifices…the way I decided to approach politics is different…it’s not by money or muscle power…but through pure education…where I tell people about their rights and about the duties and responsibilities of an elected representative.
ST: What is the basic objective of allying with the UDP and how will it work in the coming elections?
Ardent: The main objective is to ensure that we have a regional government in the next five years…Though we had said earlier that we might go alone in the Assembly elections…but after having realised that it might spoil the chances for the regional parties to form the government, we decided to go for the alliance.
ST: The HSPDP has differences over the seat-sharing agreement with UDP in a few constituencies. Why? Does it send a wrong signal to the electorate with just a few months ahead of the Assembly elections, especially when the alliance is talking about the “unity of regional parties?
Ardent: There is no major difference between the parties as far as seat sharing is concerned…In fact, the problem is only at the individual level We assure that it will take some time to die down… But it will not hamper our chances…
This (alliance) is not a merger or unification…but an alliance where we can have an understanding between the parties and make adjustments in seat sharing.
ST: How will you address the differences within the party, given that there is a division in HSPDP in Mawkyrwat constituency?
Ardent: As far as the HSPDP is concerned, we don’t have any differences…..But when it comes to selection of candidates….the problem in Mawkyrwat is that we have a senior leader (Enbin K Raswai) and a person (Renikton L Tongkhar) who had recently joined the party…But our stand is that we will give ticket to the candidate who has more chances of winning — we are looking at the winnability factor… We had conducted a proper survey before we decided to issue a ticket to Renikton.
ST: Apart from the 27 seats that you have shared with the UDP, your party and the UDP will field candidates in the remaining nine seats. What makes you come up with a strategy such as this?
Ardent: You see…Both the parties had decided to have nine seats as open seats where both can contest….But now we have been able to come to a conclusion that we will reduce the number of open seats…As of now, there are four open seats – Mowkaiaw, Sohiong, Mawryngkneng and Umroi – that we are discussing…of which two will be reserved for UDP and two for HSPDP. There will be a final decision in this regard soon.
Earlier, we decided to have more open seats to retain the regional vote bank……but after some review we felt that if we convert these four to reserved, it will fetch better results.
ST: The UDP says it is not averse to working with the BJP after the polls if they are in power in Meghalaya. Is HSPDP on the same page and why?
Ardent: In fact it is too early to take such a decision…A decision can only be taken after the votes are counted…But we are determined and confident that we will get the numbers…So the question of working together with any other political party at this juncture does not arise.
ST: How many seats will the alliance win?
Ardent: See…It will again be too early for me to give you the numbers…But we are optimistic and going by the mood of the people and the talk of the town, the numbers are in our favour.
ST: What will be your agenda? Will there be a separate agenda for the HSPDP – will you pursue the demand for a separate Khasi-Jaintia state? How long will it take for a common minimum programme?
Ardent: The separate state agenda will remain a part of our long-term goal …Currently, we are demanding application of Article 371 in Meghalaya (like in Nagaland) which will protect traditional and customary laws …for example Nagaland has a practice of hunting animals…
Besides, we want a clean government, a corruption free government…it is like an ideology for us…as we go forward to achieve our goals. Clean politics is something we cannot compromise.
We are working on the common minimum programme…it will be finalised after selection of candidates.
ST: What is the HSPDP stand on the ILP and rail link issues?
Ardent: The ILP issue remains in the party and we will persuade our alliance partner to include it in the agenda. Illegal immigration has to stop. Regarding the rail link to the state, we have to weigh the merits and demerits…But our stand is clear…we don’t want passenger trains now and that the tracks must be for goods trains only…Unless, we have an effective mechanism, we cannot think of passenger trains…
ST: Are you against genuine non-tribals of Meghalaya?
Ardent: See…some people are trying to impress that the HSPDP supremo does not like non-tribals…But right from the time I was FKJGP president, I had categorically stated that the federation was never against genuine non-tribals – those born and brought up in Meghalaya…This is a stand I maintain now and will maintain even after the elections…we are not against “all” non tribals living in the state.
ST: This will be an election year without HSPDP founder late Hoping Stone Lyngdoh. How will you ensure success for the party in his absence?
Ardent: There is no doubt that we miss him as our senior leader…but if you look at the present strength of the party, its acceptability…HSPDP, as of today, is getting stronger and we hope that we will get more seats this time…we are determined to fulfill the aspirations of our late leader.
ST: Will the party highlight the contributions of H S Lyngdoh during the campaigns?
Ardent: Definitely…I think we cannot avoid that ….we will have to remind the people about his contributions…about his leadership… faithfulness…about his dream of a separate state….
ST: What made you take up the role of successor to HS Lyngdoh?
Ardent: We have been trying to live up to his image….the support that we have received from the people is because of the legacy that we have inherited from him.
ST: How do you rate the incumbent government in Meghalaya?
Ardent: Aah.. What can I say about this government?…it has failed on almost all fronts…..if you look at economic activity…there are no jobs…if you look at the education sector, Meghalaya has transformed from a hub to a shop that provides degrees only…the tourism industry has not prospered in a state that is known for its natural beauty, which is again a lost opportunity in terms of revenue generation and employment creation…crime rate is on the rise…there is corruption everywhere…
Then there are the border issues…The government has not gone all out to solve the boundary issue with Assam…it should have taken the issue head on but it seems that the government is not serious. The Langpih issue has remained pending for decades…the delay only allows Assam to stake claim on Langpih by accusing Meghalaya of encroaching on land that belongs to us.
Then again, our state government has so far failed to solve the case of the 10 MBBS students from Meghalaya who were denied admission in Assam…It will only demoralize them…
Three-four years back our government had announced plans to establish medical colleges in the state…These projects are yet to see the light of day…
ST: Who will form the government next year?
Ardent: Obviously it will be the HSPDP-UDP alliance… the mood and talk of the town is in our favour…but people are fed up with the failures of this government.
ST: You had drawn flak for your support for extension of building byelaws to rural areas. What were your intentions in suggesting this to the government?
Ardent: You see… our opposition is not against the Meghalaya Urban Development Agency but its encroachment into the rural areas. What I had proposed to the government is a separate agency to deal with building bylaws in the rural areas. It is not proper on the part of the government to involve an agency like MUDA, which has become allergic to the people of the state… so the government needs to find out why…
ST: Lastly, will the “Modi wave” prevail in Meghalaya?
Ardent: Not really…The dynamics in the Meghalaya politics is completely different…Here, the choice of the electorate is personality-centric…if the party gives ticket to the wrong person, then people will not vote for him/her no matter how strong/credible the party is….the right person in the right party is what you want here…