SHILLONG, Dec 12: The Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) on Monday released its first list of candidates for the 2023 Assembly polls.
VPP vice president H Kara Chen said the list has the names of candidates from 14 Assembly constituencies.
He said a majority of the candidates are first-timers except for party president and two-time MLA, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit who will be contesting from the Nongkrem constituency.
Chen said people are fed up with the old faces, the reason why the VPP is trying to field fresh faces as its candidates.
“We have properly screened the background and educational qualification of the ticket aspirants before allotting the party tickets,” he said.
The other 13 candidates in the first list are Damewanhi L Rymbai from the Khliehriat constituency, Ricky AJ Syngkon from Umsning, Heavingstone Kharpran from Mawryngkneng, Brightstarwell Marbaniang from Mawlai, Avner Pariat from East Shillong, Raja Jyrwa from West Shillong, Danny Langstieh from South Shillong,
Aibandaplin F Lyngdoh from Mylliem, Winston Tony Lyngdoh from Nongthymmai, Doristar Marbaniang from Mawphlang, Manbhalang Thabah from Pynursla, Shanlang Warjri from Mairang and Overlin Imiong from Ranikor.
Chen said the second list of candidates will take some time. “As of now, we cannot say from how many seats we are planning to contest,” he said.
He, however, said only North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum will be contesting from the party. “But we cannot declare his candidature as he has to complete some formalities. We will be announcing his candidature at a later stage,” he said.
He said the VPP is likely to put up candidates in Garo Hills but the primary focus is on the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.
The party is likely to release its manifesto for the upcoming polls once the model code of conduct comes into force, he added.
Elections can be won without money power: VPP
The VPP said it wants to bring a change in the manner elections are fought.
VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh said the party believes elections can also be won without the power of money.
“We understand that the present-day elections are fought with the use of money power but we want to change this trend to prove that elections can be won without money power,” he told reporters.
“If the VPP follows the same trend, how can it then bring the change? The ultimate goal of the party is to bring corruption-free governance along with development,” he said.
He said the VPP is looking at the elections as a means to serve the people and the state. He admitted that funding is an important component to strengthen the party organisation.
“We believe in transparent funding and therefore, we are looking at the contributions from people in the form of public funding,” Myrboh said.
He said the priority of other political parties is to win elections and form government. He claimed they have no plan or strategy on how they can serve the people better after forming government.
“We are not only a political party but a political movement,” Myrboh asserted as he stressed that people should vote for an alternative government given their experience of the MDA which is facing various corruption charges.
“There will not be any proper probe in the corruption charges if the constituents of the MDA government retain power,” the VPP spokesperson said.
The VPP felt the demand for the implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) has weakened and blamed the various political parties for it. Myrboh said there is no political unanimity on the demand. He claimed majority of the political parties are not in favour of the ILP.
According to him, the Congress, which was in power between 2013 and 2018, was not in favour of ILP and had termed it as an outdated law.
“Even the BJP only recently supported the ILP demand. The regional parties wanted a modified ILP,” Myrboh said.
He said the political parties went all-out for ILP only after the Centre had passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA. He said the Centre granted ILP to Manipur after all the political parties, including BJP, had supported the demand.
“The Centre had to agree since there was political unanimity among the political parties in Manipur on the implementation of ILP,” Myrboh said, adding, the Centre will never agree to ILP unless there is a strong pressure from the state.
He described the resolution passed by the Meghalaya Assembly in 2019 to urge the Centre to grant ILP as “eyewash”. He said the demand, as it now stands, does not hold any strong ground since Meghalaya is exempted from CAA, except for the “normal areas”.
He said the VPP will fight for ILP. He said the words Khasi and Jaintia Hills region were removed from the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 following an amendment.
