GUWAHATI/SHILLONG/TURA: The “thumping” win of NPP and the debacle of its “strongest” rival party, the Congress, in the Williamnagar election can be attributed directly to the tilt in scales in favour of the “party in power”.
That is of course besides a number of other factors, including the trend of a division of votes when too many, in this case nine, are in the fray.
But predicting a clear winner before the Williamnagar polls was difficult given the circumstances leading to the adjournment of the poll by a month after the killing of NCP candidate Jonathone N Sangma, and his widow Krinilla R Marak taking his mantle.
The deferment did upset the tempo somewhat in regard to the campaigns of the respective parties.
But the fact that NPP, after winning 19 of the 59 seats, had stitched together the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance to eventually head the government, also breaking the shackles after dethroning the Congress, was arguably the biggest factor. The party was already one up before the contest.
NPP central observer Nihim D Shira agreed that “being in the government was an advantage for the party”.
“Anti-incumbency against Congress rule under Mukul Sangma is certainly a factor while the division in the Congress with senior leaders campaigning for Independent candidate Sengbath R Marak (and not for Congress candidate Deborah C Marak) also contributed to NPP’s victory and Congress’s defeat,” Shira said.
Some of the factors which the opposition has credited for their victory are the lack of development of Williamnagar constituency.
“People have seen for five long years the absence of good roads and missing bridges. Institutional infrastructure, including buildings for schools and hospitals, has not taken off. Water crisis is a daily problem
for the citizens. The electorate would seek a change” said Shira.
However, not many would have imagined the huge margin between winner Marcuise N Marak (who bagged 9,558 votes) and nearest rival Sengbath R Marak (Independent) who secured 4,698 votes.
The surprise was former minister and Congress’s Deborah C Marak emerging third with 4,517 votes closely followed by NCP candidate Krinilla securing 4,009 votes.
Deborah had later accused senior leaders in the party for campaigning for Sengbath and even alleged that former chief minister Mukul Sangma had a “hand” in her defeat.
The supporters of Deborah Marak have a different take on the matter.
“One faction of Congress was campaigning for Deborah and another was fighting against her. It was an open secret,” claimed a youth Congress leaders of Williamnagar who are disappointed with the turn of events.
Many of her supporters believe victory was at hand until the sudden turn of political events a week before the polls.
“The Congress MLA has implemented each of her MLA schemes to the fullest each year. If you go to the rural areas you will find how successful the schemes have been,” claimed Deborah Marak’s supporters.
They pointed out to the distribution of community dustbins in and around Williamnagar which has led to reduction of garbage in the vicinity of the town.
“Madam, has implemented all her schemes in letter and spirit. See for yourself the roads connecting the villages across the Simsang river,”said her youth supporters.
The roads across Warime bridge, connecting important villages including once militancy affected Sampalgre have been blacktopped and well maintained for the past three years.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Marcuise, who had earlier predicted a rift in the Congress working in his favour when this correspondent contacted him a few days ahead of the poll, said a number of things fell in place for the “thumping win”, including the fact that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma campaigned for him a couple of days before the poll.
“Apart from the party-in-power factor, the division in the Congress camp hit the party candidate hard. The chief minister coming to campaign for me also helped in boosting the party but I also feel that there was a genuine urge for change this time. Besides, the memories of PA Sangma were fresh in people’s minds which led them to vote for the party (led by his son Conrad),” Marcuise said.
He, however, admitted that Krinilla did earn the sympathy of her well-wishers in some polling stations.
“That she had polled a little over 4,000 votes is testimony to the fact that she had her supporters. And also there was a division of votes as many were in the fray,” Marcuise said.
Independent candidate Sengbath, who had alleged the failure of the former MLAs, including Deborah and Marcuise, for lack of development in Wiliamnagar, also could not be contacted for comment.
The rest of the five candidates could not even cross the 1,000-vote mark.
