Dynasty versus Democracy

Election to the three constituencies – Mawryngkneng, Mawphlang and Rajabala have been announced and the search for candidates by political parties begins. Political parties have one month between announcing their candidates and campaigning for them. So far only one candidate – Pyniaid Sing Syiem of the NPP has emerged as the sure-shot contestant from Mawryngkneng. It remains to be seen whether the coalition partners in the MDA – namely the UDP, HSPDP and PDF will put up candidates in Mawryngkneng which was until February 2021 represented by Congress MLA David Nongrum. Rajabala too was represented by (L) Dr Azad Zaman of the Congress. Chances are that the NPP might set up a candidate from there. So will the Congress and the fight will be between these two national parties. The regional parties though are not expected to have any supporters in what is essentially a plains belt of Garo Hills.
In Mawphlang there are talks that the son of (L) SK Sunn – Eugeneson Lyngdoh a football player of repute would contest and keep the family legacy intact. In fact, an MLA has even appealed that no party should set any candidate from Mawphlang to make way for a member of SK Sunn’s family to inherit his seat. In Meghalaya this unseemly culture of promoting dynasties and family legacies which are the anti-thesis to democracy seem to have taken roots. Already the Assembly is represented by several members of one family. Such is the interest to promote hierarchies and dynasties in Meghalaya. It is sad but true that the party under which India earned its Independence – the Indian National Congress started by AO Hume – an Englishman with a heart for India was also the Party that promulgated the Emergency. This was the first major sacrifice extracted at the altar of dynasty worship by Congressmen and women. The servility of Congress party followers at the time allowed the Emergency to happen. It was a heavy price paid by the country when all institutions of Democracy including the Judiciary were compromised. Such was the blow dealt to these democratic Institutions that they could never fully recover.
With the second generation of Nehru-Gandhis in power and the third as a virtual regent, the Congress has been reduced to a dynasty which also spawned a dangerous coterie of vested interests. Congress members in every state have mimicked the Congress leadership and promoted their own family members as candidates. The NCP led by Sharad Pawar is following in the Congresses’ footsteps. The NPP too is a family-led Party. Now even regional parties might follow suit. Democracy cannot thrive in this eco-system. Dynasty has to end.