By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 19: In the event of possible fractured mandate in the forthcoming election, the role of regional parties becomes decisive in coalition formation.
What are the thoughts of these parties which will be the balancing factor in stitching any stable coalition? Will they maintain status quo? Or will they shun NPP on corruption issue and refuse to embrace BJP because of its perceived anti-Christian ideology?
The Shillong Times reached out to the regional parties to know their minds.
Surely, no party is willing to stick their neck out on their choice of coalition partners. All of them are ready to wait for the poll results before taking a call. They appear to be happy to leave their options open and are open to work with anybody.
No, none of parties have been categorical whether or not they will continue to do business with the current partners NPP or BJP against whom they are bitterly campaigning for garnering votes.
The NPP has been facing strident corruption charges, while the BJP is having a major handicap in view of the atrocities against Christian community and attack on the churches across the country. These are emanating from the platform of regional parties as well from Congress and TMC.
The recent controversy over the letter issued by the Special branch of Assam Police seeking information on the number of conversion and churches in the state ahead of the polls in Meghalaya appears to be seriously affecting the prospects of the BJP candidates. Most regional party candidates are keeping these issues in their campaign.
UDP aware of coalition era
Talking to this reporter here on Thursday, UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said that the party’s focus at the moment was to get absolute majority and it was yet to deliberate on the post election scenario in case of a fractured mandate.
He however admitted that the country is witnessing an era of coalition politics. “It is a fact. This is prevalent throughout the country. It is very difficult for any party to get absolute majority,” Mawthoh said.
He also mentioned that they have witnessed the same trend at the Centre where other parties are part of the NDA despite BJP enjoying absolute majority in the Lok Sabha.
“As a party we have experience of being part of this coalition politics for many years. In this coalition era, there are plus and minus points,” the UDP general secretary said.
Asserting that coalition partners should inculcate mutual respect for each other, he said that it is also important for the coalition partners to have a common goal, interest and objective.
“But the relationship is spoilt if the bigger coalition partners do not respect the smaller allies. In a coalition, the relation is very complex. The welfare of the people and interest of the state should be the priority of all the allies of a coalition,” he observed.
Referring to the present state of affairs in Meghalaya, he said that going by the report of NITI Aayog, Meghalaya is the fifth poorest state in the country.
“We have about 32 per cent of BPL population. This only reflects that the problem in the state is very serious. As coalition partners, we need to put our heads together when it comes to the education, health and power sector and address issue of boundary problem, unemployment problem and so on,” Mawthoh added.
Conditional support
Meanwhile, founder president of the Voice of the People Party (VPP), Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit did not want to commit too much at this stage. He said that they will cross the bridge when they come near the bridge.
“It is too early to speak on the post poll election scenario. You cannot rule out the VPP to emerge as the single largest party,” Basaiawmoit said in a matter of fact tone.
The VPP president said that the party has made it clear that if it decides to work with any groups or parties it will be on certain conditions.
“It will depend on the people whom they elect. We will put forward our conditions before allying with any party after the polls. They will need to accept our conditions on the issues which we have promised to the people during our election campaign,” Basaiawmoit said.
Ditto for HSPDP
Echoing similar views, HSPDP president KP Pangniang said that it will be difficult to say anything at the moment with whom the party is going to work after the elections.
“It will depend on different factors and it will all depend on the mandate given by the people after the polls,” Pangniang said.
He said that they will not just blindly support anyone since they will put their conditions especially they will not compromise on the issues affecting the people of the state.
“The coalition partners of any alliance to be form after election should accept the issues flagged by the party. It is only then we will agree to deliberate and discuss on the offer to join any coalition,” the HSPDP president said. He was candid in admitting that the party is not happy with the performance the NPP-led MDA Government during the past five years.
“We are part and parcel of the ruling MDA coalition. But we are disappointed since the government has not shown any seriousness to resolve the issues whether it is the interstate border dispute with Assam, implementation of ILP or the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule,” he said.
The HSPDP president said that the MDA Government only passed a resolution which was submitted to the Centre.
“After this, there were no serious efforts to follow it up,” Pangniang pointed out.
If what these parties are saying is maintained after the results are out, looks like most of them would put pressure for a common minimum programme, something that the MDA did not have.