The political churning happening in Meghalaya today reminds us of the clichéd phrase, “Old wine in new bottles.” The same corrupt people who have eaten up our roads and defaulted on our water supply systems are going to re-enter the political arena with a change of uniform. In fact, the opportunists are looking for the safest way to be re-elected. One question remains an eternal conundrum: Will the people of Meghalaya elect those who have let them down again and again? Will they look for new candidates with no track record of sleaze or will money be the final arbiter? Money power which has been repeatedly equated to ‘winnability’ has been the deciding factor for every election. Otherwise why would an illiterate businessman be favoured above one who has a broader socio-political concern? And above all, why would businessmen and contractors be given the opportunity to loot the system upfront? Don’t we have ourselves to blame for giving charge of the treasury to those with a propensity to put their hands in the till and for giving short shrift to candidates who do not have the financial clout to bribe the voters? The fault lies in the voters, not in the candidates and that is where the correction should start.
Very often the rural voter is blamed for the poor choice of elected representatives but that is not always the case. Even in the city there are candidates that win by sheer dint of muscle and money, both. And the arguments from the electors are often bizarre. They elect an MLA who will serve their personal interests; the collective and social interests be damned. In such a situation the desire for change is a futile pursuit. The same set of representatives, with minor changes, will bounce back to occupy seats of power in the Government. People of Meghalaya are not yet ready to shake up the system. Whether the next Government will be a better one is no guarantee. The fault lies in our inability to understand that short term personal interests will and has always compromised the larger interests of the State of Meghalaya.
