By Albert Thyrniang
Election 2018 could be the most bitterly fought election in the electoral history of 45 year old Meghalaya. The stakes are higher for all political parties in the state. The public is already witnessing political parties throwing allegations and counter allegations at each other even before the complete lists of candidates are declared. The BJP has charged the Congress of rampant corruption. Through the Chief Minister the Congress branded the saffron party and its well known ideological mother as agents of evil. The Congress also accused the NPP of being Team B of the BJP and singled out Conrad Sangma as the person responsible for allowing the BJP to takes root in the state. The NPP however has denied having any nexus with the saffron party. The NPP supremo sees the 133 year old party bereft of issues to fight the elections head on. The UDP too is not to be left behind as it claims that the regional wave is enveloping the state. In the meantime the PDF, a larger than life party also jumps into the bangwagon and its chief, PN Syiem also joins the chorus of accusing the NPP of being the other side of the BJP coin while stating that the UDP/HSPDP are team B of the Congress. The electorate must be a confused lot now.
This piece writing is not a tip to the 18,30,104 strong electorate to choose a party which will govern the state for five years. However, let me put down a couple of points that the 9,23,848 female and 9,06256 male voters could keep in mind while contemplating on their choice of the party or parties that will rule this hill state till 2023.
A Secular party
This is perhaps the first and the most important point a voter should remember while deciding on a candidate of a political party. India is a secular state and must remain so. In Meghalaya a communal party is coming in very strongly and with it religious groups who call themselves social organisations. They have time and again raised their ugly heads in other parts of the state. They are determinably working to declare this multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi linguistic and multi cultural nation a Hindu Rashtra, a Hindustan. Fascist as they are, they want to equate nationalism with ‘Hindu’ nationalism. They want to change the tricolour into saffron. They want to decide what the citizens should eat, wear and do. They want to carry out their dangerous agenda. All of these agenda are to be realised in 2025 when a right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary and parent organisation of the ruling party at the centre will celebrate the centenary of its foundation.
Voters should remember that Meghalaya remains secular. Secularism is even more important than development. Secularity means freedom of religion. It means the freedom of minorities to practice their religion safely, without fear. What is the use of development when one is not safe and free? Would we not choose freedom and safety over development? Development can take place only if there is freedom and security. Development is not merely building infrastructure. It means holistic development of the person – mind, body and soul.
Minorities in India today are being persecuted. Priests and seminarians were arrested by extremists for singing Christmas carols and distributing Bibles in Madhya Pradesh. In the same state Hindu fanatical outfits also almost forcefully conducted Saraswati Puja in a Christian educational institution. Christian schools were about to be prevented from celebrating Christmas in Aligarh, Utter Pradesh by fundamentalist groups.
The central government, in 2014 declared 25th December, Christmas Day as Good Governance Day to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This is certainly a ‘communal’ design and in plain words is to tell Christians that they matter little in this country. From last year the biggest festival of the Christians is no longer a public holiday.
To add to these woes, Dalits and Muslims have been brutally beaten and lynched while transporting cows and on suspicion of consuming beef. These are not isolated incidents as former legislators who have opportunistically joined the saffron brigade recently view. It is believed the voters in this state are wise and mature enough to vote for secular parties and reject communal forces at all cost.
A pan state party
For the sake of stability the voters could choose a party that is pan Meghalaya in nature. There is one regional alliance and a new party (who are opposed to each other) who are positive of coming to power after the election. However, they are planning to put up candidates in only 34-36 constituencies mainly in Khasi and Jaintia Hills. How can this alliance come to power while fielding candidates only in 36 constituencies? Can they realistically expect to sweep the region to secure at least 31 seats for a simple majority in the Legislative Assembly? Not even their die- hard supporter and most optimist member of these parties can hope for such a fortune. Therefore, their positive expectations are misplaced.
The regional parties need to be practical and pragmatic. While they, perhaps, deserve a chance to rule the state and prove their mettle, they must accept the fact that unless they are a pan-Meghalaya party (or at least have a pan-state alliance), they have genuinely no hope of occupying the hot seats. This is common sense and does not require Einstein’s brain. Therefore, if the citizens of the state look for stability a pan- state party is the only option.
A party with clear policies
One of the major mistakes of the present government, which has ruled state for 10 long years is in not in drawing up policies for various key areas of the state. It is surprising that the state has no education policy, no youth and sports policy (only drafts if one is correct), no mining policy, no environment policy, no city development policy, no rural development policy, no poverty alleviation policy and so on. This could cost the party dearly. Anti incumbency has more than doubled!
Meghalaya needs a party that promises to have policies in place on the above and other crucial areas that will help governance, solve, eliminate, or at least minimise the multiple challenges of the state; a party that guides and take decisions to achieve explicit goals. These must become the criteria to assess, judge and critique the success and failure of any government. Such a party must be given a chance.
A party with a strong leadership
Strong and undisputed leaders win elections for their parties. Examples are not many. Former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, present PM, Narendra Modi, West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee, Bihar’s CM Nitish Kumar and Odisa’s CM Biju Patnaik are some. Do we have leadership in Meghalaya of the types of the above politicians? It is very doubtful. If we do not have a Narendra Modi or a Mamata Banerjee or a Nitish Kumar or Biju Patnaik we have to be satisfied with what we have. Voters will have to look for parties that have leaders who have an inclusive mindset and the sagacity to lead from the front.
Vote for change?
Many could be tempted to vote for change. But change for the sake of change alone is not recommended. Change for the sake of change has no meaning. It will serve no purpose. At the end we will be frustrated and disappointed. Vote for change, yes but that party should guarantee its citizens the fundamental freedom, peace, security and harmony, provide stability (effectively good governance), have policies and vision for the state and be a party with strong and capable leadership. The word change may be catchy, attractive and appealing but could be self deceptive if we are careless. Change means change of governance rather merely change of government, change of attitude rather change of personnel, change for the better rather than change for the worse.
Ironically those who demand for change are the very legislators who have been there for a long time. They have been in the government for more than one term. If change is needed it should be applicable to them as well. They should be defeated and new representatives elected. New faces should come in.
Even without the predictions of pollsters and without opinions of psephologists it is increasingly clear that the elections next month will throw up a fractured mandate. That means instability. The governor might be kept busy. This is no good news for the state. These recommendations too will have little impact. What will help is probably for political parties to stop the rhetoric and spell out their agenda for the state so that the electorate can give a decisive and a clear mandate.