SHILLONG/TURA, Nov 2: A triumphant NPP attributed the bypoll win to better governance and said the division, infighting and blame game within the Opposition Congress reflected in the results.
NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the electoral battle was tough and the people put their trust on the government because of its development agenda.
“It is a clear thumbs up from the people of the three constituencies for the government. The opposition parties made a lot of allegations and we did not speak much during the campaign. I had said we will work for development, which we have been doing,” he said after the results were declared on Tuesday.
“I am happy that people have responded positively to our campaign and helped us win all three seats,” he added, cautioning the coalition partners against complacency or overconfidence.
“We need to continue working and that is the message we want to give to the party workers and the state as a whole,” Sangma said.
He said allegations that Congress youth leaders were working for the UDP candidate in the hilly part of Rajabala created confusion and division within the grand old party. This impacted the bypoll outcome, he added.
The case was similar with Mawphlang and Mawryngkneng, the CM said. “I am sure the party (Congress) leadership will think about how to repair and move forward,” he said.
He admitted the polls were tough considering Mawryngkneng and Rajabala had been held by the Opposition for a long time.
CM over the moon with Rajabala win
Sangma was visibly over the moon, particularly with the results in Rajabala which the NPP never won before.
“When the NPP first contested the 2013 Assembly polls after it was floated by my father, we could get only 450 votes in Rajabala. Then in the 2018 elections, we managed to secure 4,800 votes (4th place). But, this time, we have not only won it but our votes have crossed the 11,000 mark (11,823 votes)” Sangma told The Shillong Times.
Dismissing the claim of rivals and others that it was a close fight, he said it was “a clear indication that the work is progressing under the MDA government. It is a clear mandate in favour of the government.”
Meanwhile, Abdus Saleh, who won from Rajabala, refused to disclose what he is going to do for the people of his constituency stating, “My response will be revealed in my work. Ask me a year and a half from now and I will give my reply.”
NPP state president and Rajya Sabha member, WR Kharlukhi said, “It is a wonderful victory in the two constituencies. Even though we lost in Mawphlang, we made a beginning with 5,000 plus votes.”
Kharlukhi said during campaigning, the NPP enlightened people all that the government has done. He said he had expected the Congress to tell voters all that it did during 30 years in power but it instead indulged in a negative campaign.
“This negative campaign took them nowhere. In today’s world, they should not feel people are stupid. It was clear from the results that what people want is what you are doing for them,” Kharlukhi said.
Thanking voters, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said, “We will now need to think about the general elections and perform better.”
He added the Congress levelled childish allegations against the government during campaigning.
