Much has been written about the resignation of former Chief Minister DD Lapang from the Congress Party to which he has been aligned to for over four decades. Astute political observers are, however, not surprised by the developments. Political opportunists show their true colours when the Party they belong to is out of power and is unable to provide them the perks of office. Now that the Congress Party is in the doghouse in Meghalaya, those of its members who are used to the power and pelf are discomfited by the sudden loss of power and authority. It is of course naive to expect voluntarism from members of political parties. But it is precisely this absence of voluntarism that sucks at the lifeblood of the country.
DD Lapang is an octogenarian who has gained much more from being in the Congress Party than it is the other way round. There is nothing much to list by way of achievements of this octogenarian politician as Chief Minister of Meghalaya. All that he can be credited for is that of upgrading his own region – Ri Bhoi – to a district. On the contrary he is known to have given a free license for cement companies to set up shop in Meghalaya without observing the basic environmental norms. In that sense he has done singular damage to the environment of Meghalaya.
The term “political opportunism,” implies, amongst other things, abandoning one’s loyalties to an ideology for selfish ends. While in politics there are no permanent loyalties but such a radical shift is expected from younger politicians who are still raring to fight the elections; not in someone who is no longer in a physical and mental state to contribute to the health of the State. And while politics has earned the sobriquet of, “the art of the possible,” and hence we should not be surprised at the turn of events but the fact that in Meghalaya the average age of the Conrad Sangma cabinet is roughly 45 years, even political expedience would demand better sense. An advisor who is incapable of understanding what a young Meghalaya needs is a huge liability. As far as the Congress Party is concerned DD Lapang is no longer an asset. Hence his exit is not going to create a vacuum in the Party. Rather it is the MDA Government that is inheriting this liability from the Congress.