SHILLONG, March 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top guns of the BJP including Home Minister Amit Shah who campaigned extensively in Meghalaya failed to create any magic for the party this time too.
The saffron party has conquered the other contiguous states in the Northeast on its own or in alliance with regional parties since coming to power at the Centre in 2014 but has never quite managed to penetrate Meghalaya.
The party won failed to add to its 2018 tally of two seats with veterans Alexander Laloo Hek and Sanbor Shullai retaining Pynthorumkhrah and South Shillong.
Unlike the past elections, the BJP fielded candidates in all 60 constituencies and claimed to have been better organised.
It also invested more resources in the State with the Prime Minister holding a road show in Shillong and addressing a meeting in Tura.
Apart from Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda, union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Smriti Irani devoted time to the party’s campaign in the state.
Party leaders, however, have noted the increase in the BJP’s vote share with candidates putting up a strong fight in constituencies such as North Shillong, Raliang, Mawsynram, Ranikor, Dalu and Tikrikilla.
BJP vice-president Bernard N. Marak did fairly well against the formidable Conrad K. Sangma of the National People’s Party, losing the South Tura seat by 5,016 votes.
The BJP had banked on state party president Ernest Mawrie to win the West Shillong seat. It had also hoped that the likes of HM Shangpliang, MM Danggo, Ferlin CA Sangma and Samuel Sangma, who switched over from other parties, would help increase its tally in the state.
“The performance of the party should not surprise the people,” Hek said, adding that it is important to understand the minds and decisions of the people.
The outcome dashed Hek’s hope of projecting himself as a candidate for the CM’s post.
Dynasty politics
The outcome of the Assembly polls has indicated that the people of Meghalaya have rejected dynasty politics in this election cutting across the political divides.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s elder brother James PK Sangma was defeated from Dadenggree seat by 57 votes.
This election was also a major setback for former Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma’s family as his wife Dikkanchi D Shira and his brother Zenith M Sangma were defeated from Mahendraganj and Rangsakona constituencies respectively. But Dr Mukul Sangma’s daughter Miani D Shira however emerged winner from Ampati seat.
The Dhar family witnessed mixed bag result in this election. Former Mawhati MLA Dasakhiatbha Lamare lost from Nongkrem while his younger brother Damanbiat Dkhar had won from Umroi by defeating TMC candidate George B Lyngdoh.