By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 28: The Voice of the People Party (VPP), which had sprung a surprise by winning four seats in its maiden electoral foray earlier this year, is hoping to fare well in the Lok Sabha as well as district council elections on its own.
The VPP declared that it is neither interested nor will encourage political defection, which is common in state politics.
“We have not received any feelers nor are we interested. VPP is not encouraging defection and we do not want people who jump from one party to another,” VPP spokesperson, Batskhem Myrboh said on Monday while responding to a query if anyone approached the MLAs of the party.
He said VPP believes in the politics of principles.
Myrboh said the party is all charged up for the polls and that preparations are going on in full swing. He said they campaign for the party even when they go for enrollment drives. It has already declared the name of its candidate for the Shillong seat in the 2024 Parliamentary elections.
“We are getting a very positive response throughout the length and breadth of Khasi Hills region. We firmly believe that we will comprehensively win the Shillong seat in the Lok Sabha elections,” Myrboh said.
Claiming that VPP has an edge over other parties in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region, he said, “It is a party with a difference. Unlike other parties, VPP is constantly rising ever since the Assembly elections.”
He claimed that people at large have accepted VPP and that gives the party the edge. Further, he claimed that VPP has also made inroads into the Jaintia Hills region.
“People are accepting VPP. The very fact that the student body in Jaintia Hills invited the MLA from the opposition party to be the chief guest at a function tells the story,” Myrboh said.
Talking about reaching out to the masses, he said, “When we tour different parts of the state, we not just hope to win the upcoming MDC and Lok Sabha elections but we also try to create political awareness among people on various issues, highlight the principles which the party is based on and the issues we would like to take up.”
