GUWAHATI: Former Congress minister, RG Lyngdoh is of the view that the outcome of the autonomous district council elections in Meghalaya will not have a bearing on parties’ prospects in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
Congress and National People’s Party (NPP), which leads the state government, had emerged as the single largest parties in KHADC and JHADC respectively even as the councils saw a fractured mandate, and subsequently, the ruling alliance joining hands to form the executive council.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Monday, Lyngdoh said the issues regarding the autonomous district council (ADC) polls and parliamentary elections are totally different and hence the outcome does not give parties any advantage ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“The issues in the ADCs are confined to local spheres comprising tribal customs, land, forest, et al, whereas MPs have a bigger spectrum to consider. Moreover, parliamentary elections are more about the individual and his performance. So, neither the parties in the alliance nor Congress has any momentum or edge,” he said.
Meghalaya has two parliamentary seats, Shillong and Tura, with both the ruling alliance and Opposition Congress now poised for deliberations on their respective candidates.
“However, if there are more elected representatives working at the field level then there will be some advantage for the parties they represent,” Lyngdoh said.
On NPP’s good show at the ADC polls, he said, “The ruling party always has an advantage. However, sustenance at the district council level is another thing. Since there is no anti-defection law as yet, winning might not make any sense in the long run, something which we have seen in Jaintia Hills.”
On the appointment of the chief executive member in KHADC for one year, Lyngdoh said, “If there is continuity in regard to plans and policies, there should not be any problem (with collective leadership). However, there is also a possibility of work in a particular area not getting finished in a year while the successor instead of getting the job done starts work in another area.”
