By Barnes Mawrie
The present alliance of the new Meghalaya Government, namely, NPP+UDP+PDF+BJP+HSPDP+Independent, is definitely an unstable alliance. There are too many stakeholders in this governments and the smaller parties have become king makers. Experience has shown that such a concoction is bound to turn sour in due time. As they say “you can please all people for some time but not all the time.” So we can be sure that sooner or later this alliance is going to crumble as it would be difficult for the NPP to meet all the demands of the allies. The problem with an alliance of this sort is that it is founded on a shaky ground. A lot of energy, time and resources of the NPP (the major party) will be wasted on the task of appeasement. We all know how much of public money has already been squandered during these few days of political negotiations. Meghalaya has already suffered enough from many unstable governments in the past and I think such things should not happen again today. The people of the State have voted for stability and progress and not for another shamble government.
They say that in politics there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. Basing myself on this political philosophy, I would say that NPP and the Congress should bury their hatchets and extend hands of friendship in order to provide the people a stable government. The alliance between NPP and the Congress would provide a comfortable number of 40 which is an absolute majority. This would ensure stability and there would be no need of dancing to the tune of small parties. I do not see any impossibility to this alliance since there are no major issues of difference between these two parties. Although the NPP has allied itself with the BJP in Manipur to form the government, it could work out a different formula altogether here in Meghalaya. Political parties and political strategies keep evolving with the need of the hour and so the NPP could easily adopt a different strategy here. I hope Mr. Conrad and Mr. Mukul would be able to put their past behind and come together to the negotiating table to sort out a better solution to this political debacle.
Why do I propose this idea? It is simply because the people of Meghalaya deserve a stable government. We do believe that our leaders have the development of the State uppermost in their mind. To this end they should be able to resolve all differences between them and work out a lasting formula for the State. NPP is an independent party and it does not owe any allegiance to the BJP and so it should make its own policies and formulate its own strategies and not be dictated by others. The old practice of sharing the CM post for a half term each, could be revoked. Perhaps the only requirement for the Congress would be to put up another person as CM candidate other than Mukul Sangma for we all know that voices like that of P. Tynsong in the NPP would resent the alliance otherwise. Let us wait and see what political development would result in the coming days.
However, what every citizen of Meghalaya expects from our leaders is that they put away all selfish interests and party agenda and transcend personal animosity and work together for the well-being of the State. Our State is already way behind others in development. Unemployment among our youth is becoming unmanageable, basic infrastructures are still lacking, rural and border-area development is almost nil, health care and education are in shambles. Today the State needs not just politicians but statesmen who have a wider vision, a more inclusive plan, a firm political will and a great sense of justice and patriotism as well as regionalism. So far our people have been misled, misgoverned and shabbily treated in many ways. Meghalaya has journeyed almost half a century since her inception but looking around we witness lack of progress and development. We have elected our leaders and we hope that they will not fail us again. This present regime of leaders will be responsible for the golden jubilee celebration of our statehood in 2022. Will it be just a fanfare or will it be a celebration of development? They still have four years to do something tangible, something worth celebrating.