Each time the State President of the National Peoples’ Party opens his mouth it is only to rebuke political opponents. He has hardly ever engaged on policy issues or taken part in discussions related to governance where he would rise to a higher plane as the leader of a national political party. There are certain expectations from people who assume leadership positions. They abstain from personal remarks and adopt decency as a mark of respect to political colleagues. There is no reason to get personal, for, politics makes strange bedfellows. But there appears to be in Meghalaya a certain tendency among the political class to flex muscles perhaps to impress the voters who have a fetish for the strongman image.
People with a fetish for the strongman image are demagogues born of a churn in societies scarred by political establishments built on inherited title deeds. A Rajya Sabha MP representing the entire State of Meghalaya and an academic at that ought to be spending time studying the deplorable statistics in the state’s human development. It should have been the endeavour of the MP to travel the length and breadth of the State to see for himself what hinders positive development and advise the Government and his Party accordingly. Did the MP travel to Garo Hills in recent times and witness the plight of the banana farmers who have been brought to their knees by Assam merchants who demand the product at throwaway prices? The frustrated farmers preferred to throw away mountains of bananas than be subjected to the tantrums of the buyers from Assam. Is the Rajya Sabha MP even remotely affected by the plight of farmers? Does he have a plan of action on how to reduce their plight as one who represents Meghalaya’s interests in Delhi? And is his party the NPP which leads the Government in the State not responsible for the farmer’s distress?
Political one upmanship beyond a point is jarring. The elections are seven months away and anything can happen between then and now. In Meghalaya political fortunes hang by a thread. It is infantile to predict the results at this stage especially after the series of scams attributed to the MDA Government. Those in the Opposition have the legitimate right to critique the Government for its lapses. That cannot be taken amiss. It is an imperative of democracy. Such criticism of the government of the day should not be reduced to a trading of charges. Whether or not politician A becomes the next chief minister is for the electorate to decide. Where are the statesmen in Meghalaya?
