By Albert Thyrniang
In 2018 in an election rally in Mawhati Dasakhiatbha Lamare, the then NPP candidate ridiculed his rivals for saying that he would plant pumpkins in Ri Bhoi and then flee to Jaintia Hills. Lamare then promised the crowd that he would work tirelessly for Mawhati. Four years later the warning of his opponents has come true. The second richest MLA with over Rs 40 crore worth of assets, second only to Metbah Lyngdoh with Rs 87 crore, has abandoned the constituency which sent him to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly for the first time. Only that the Transport and Public Works Department (Buildings) minister has not escaped to his place of origin but to Nongkrem in East Khasi Hills. The Class 12 passed legislator, who recently made news for being North East’s first owner of the super luxury car, Lamborghini whose stunning red hue attracted the gaze of passers-by in Shillong streets, announced his decision recently while hosting a football match in Pomlakrai.
The owner of 15 vehicles, excluding the latest possession, Lamborghini but including a BMW and a Fortuner explained the reasons for his migration to Nongkrem. He said Mawhati is too far from Shillong. As an MLA and a minister he is stuck in the capital working for his constituency. This forced him to be away from his voters. So he prudently decided to shift to Nongkrem which is closer to Shillong and will enable him to work for the constituency. That was the honourable MLA’s explanation. He also admitted that Mawhati is too big for him to serve satisfactorily.
This writer spoke to a few voters of Mawhati. They tell a different story. They reveal that the ‘real’ reason for the escape is because he was unable to fulfil the promises made for the constituency, particularly the failure to repair the existing wretched roads and to construct new ones. A visibly perturbed voter said that Lamare was elected on the basis of generous promises that he would black-top the roads through his road construction company even prior to sanction from the state government. Another one pointed out that the main election assurance was to convert the Umsning-Jagiroad road into a two-laned highway. A voter who invited the scribe to visit his village says the ride from Umsning to Umsiang is akin to ‘shong kali kulai’ (a horse ride). Today, neither have the roads been repaired nor the construction of the UJ road commenced. Fearing the wrath of the people in 2023 the 29 year young representative has run away to Nongkrem. His Lamborghini can travel to Nongkrem and not in Mawhati area.
Two weeks ago the minister met the Mawhati NPP workers and informed them that the works for 80 km UJ road would start soon. He blamed the World Bank rules for the delay. Accepting his failure he asked pardon from his electorate. Anticipating a backlash, the four your old MLA took resort to flimsy excuses. People term his action a betrayal. When pointed out the reason the minister is trumpeting, a former supporter asked, “Did the MLA not know that Mawhati is far from Shillong before contesting? Did he not know that Mawhati is a big constituency?
Now the test is on Nongkrem. What will be the voters’ response? Will they welcome him? Will they research into the reasons for the eastward transfer? Will they entertain his explanation? Will they be awestruck by the same promises that were broken in Mawhati? Will they trust a man who has orphaned his own ‘child’ halfway? Will Nongkrem learn from the bitter experience of Mawhati? Will Nongkrem select someone whom Mawhati will probably reject? Will the electorate vote on the basis of good leadership? Will they vote on principles? Or will they be tempted by wealth and money for votes?
Lamare’s challengers will include Ardent Basaiawmoit, the architect of the new political party, ‘Voice of the People Party’ (VPP) besides others. The November 2021 born party has been harping on bringing in ‘real change’, clean and transparent governance. It is a new brand of politics – something like the Aam Aadmi Party (APP) only that the Kejriwal party had the huge advantage of the Anna Hazare movement against the then highly perceived corrupt UPA government in 2012. For VPP there is no high profile protest to capitalise on. APP, an alternative to the both the BJP and the Congress, captured power in Delhi in its electoral debut in 2013. Recently it tasted victory in Punjab. Will VPP have the same fairy tale? The focus of attention for the youngest political entity will be Nongkrem. Will the narrative of Basaiawmoit who collects donations in buckets from supporters be successful? Or will the financial muscle of the likes of Dasakhiatbha Lamare ultimately triumph? If Basaiawmoit loses in Nongkrem not only will VPP’s existence be in doubt but also the storyline of a new politics will be lost without taking off.
VPP has identified 15 impressive names for the 2023 elections that include university lecturers, college professors and reverends. But will VPP come up with a vision and road map for the state? Will it have a short-term and long-term plan? Or will the party speak in general terms like other parties? Will the above novices be able to galvanise the more than 17.68 lakh voters in the state? Will they succeed in changing the political discourse to critical issues, performance and policies? Will they compel parties and candidates to keep pace with their ‘progressive’ thought? Will VPP lead the way so that people see illegal coal and scams as issue of real concerns? Will VPP make a dent in the political consciousness?
Illegal rat-hole mining and transportation has dogged the state all throughout the reign of the MDA government. Tragedies, notably at Ksan in December 2018 that killed 15 miners, at Sorkari in January 2021 that devoured six labourers and this month at Nengchigen that slayed two persons, have occurred. Activists were killed and attacked, coal loaded trucks were seized; the government was fined by NGT. FIRs were filed, proofs were documented and the matter discussed in the Assembly. But the government took it lightly to institute no independent inquiry. The Meghalaya High Court had to step in through its suo moto case impacted by reports on Nengchigen’s illegal mining.
Alleged corruption includes the education scam, ‘multi-crore MeECL scams, the food grain scam and even COVID-19 scam. Adding to these are the ‘job’ scams in different departments that have been obtained via RTI. Now, the forefront electoral discourses in 2023 should be on this mis-governance. But will that happen? Irregularities and lawlessness we have witnessed in the last 4 years and more should decide the outcome of winners and losers. But will they be? Will hardships of ASHA and teachers be a consideration? Will winnability (whatever that means) be the usual deciding factor? Will money power still be the predominant dynamic? Will VPP at least initiate a new trend different from the past?
We may go into the next election bereft of good political leadership. The NPP has Conrad Sangma. The TMC has Mukul Sangma, the former two- time chief minister. The Congress has none as of now. All MLAs have deserted the state’s chief, Vincent Pala. We don’t even know whether he will contest in 2023. The UDP has many equals but none above the rest. The other regional parties are of lesser stature. Except the chief minister, his deputy Prestone Tynsong, Lakmen Rymbui and James Sangma, other ministers are obscure. They don’t even answer questions in the Assembly. When they do answer, they make a mess of it.
Should we talk of some individuals? Prestone Tynsong is a senior minister and a four-time MLA. He was a chief minister hopeful in the last election. He could assume the same aspiration in the next election too. But what is his vision for the state. What has been his unique contribution? Is he a state figure? He is known more for his humour at gatherings. He does not keep his tongue in check. He bragged about beating up non-tribals in his youth; asked the activist Angela Rangad to train in MATI, advised citizens to be vegetarians and threatened taxi drivers of ignoring them in favour of others.
AL Hek is another veteran. He has been a minister non-stop until recently when he lost his chair to Sanbor Shulai. He is known more for shifting alliances between the two diametrically different parties, the Congress and the BJP. Besides being helpful to people what are his key initiatives as MLA? What is his dream for the state?
These questions creep up because it looks like there is a huge political leadership deficit in the state. A quick glance confirms this crisis. Will good leaders emerge post 2023? Will the VPP throw up leaders with a difference? Will the new faces of the Congress provide the solution? Or will any other source fill in the gap? Political parties propose names but it is we who are the bosses. Will Nongkrem be a fit example for a case study as to what kind of leaders we elect?
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