By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 30: The year 2023 saw the National People’s Party (NPP) managing its hold on power despite a lot of noise by the various political parties.
However, the road leading up to the formation of the government was not easy. The NPP, which bagged 26 of the 59 seats where the polls were held, was backed by BJP that won two seats and two independents.
The Conrad K Sangma-led NPP was hoping to get the support of allies UDP (it won 11 seats), PDF (2) and HSPDP (2) but they had other plans. They tried their best to form an alternative government with VPP (4 seats), Congress (5), TMC (5).
However, the dream was shot-lived as the two HSPDP legislators broke loose to pledge their support to NPP. Soon, the others followed suit leaving Congress, TMC and VPP out in the cold. The strength of NPP further increased when the two PDF legislators merged themselves with the former.
With the Assembly polls done and dusted, the NPP has now set its sights on next year’s Lok Sabha elections. It is fielding Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh from the Shillong seat and sitting MP Agatha Sangma from the Tura seat.
The year 2023 saw a change in NPP’s state leadership. When Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi resigned as NPP state president to embrace his academic side, the party leadership passed on the baton to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
As for BJP, it had settled for one cabinet berth as in the previous government. The party, which was affected by internal wrangling, also got a new state chief in Rikman Momin and other new office bearers.
Unlike during the first term of the NPP-led government, the BJP is not very vocal on issues of corruption now. The party said it will highlight issues only when it has evidence.
It lost its former Mawsynram MLA Himalaya M Shangpliang to NPP. He was rumoured to be NPP’s Shillong candidate in the Parliamentary polls but the party decided otherwise.
Another major party, UDP, had dished out a stellar performance in the Assembly elections by winning 11 seats and later claiming a win in the Sohiong bypoll to double of its 2018 tally of 6 seats. However, the party soon received a setback in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council where the Titosstarwell Chyne-led Executive Committee was toppled by the NPP and the Congress combine.
Nonetheless, the UDP is now gearing up for the Lok Sabha polls. It is fielding former HYC president Robertjune Kharjahrin in the Shillong seat. The party has cemented its relationship with HSPDP by reconstituting the Regional Democratic Alliance to jointly prepare for the Lok Sabha and District Council elections.
The Opposition, comprising VPP, Congress and TMC, has not yet put up a united front against the ruling coalition.
The VPP, led by Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, emerged as a force to be reckoned with in 2023. The party had sprung a surprise in its maiden electoral foray by winning 4 seats. It is expected to do well in the District Council elections in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region.
The VPP was constantly in the news in 2023 for its fight on the roster and reservation issues. It kept mounting pressure demanding the government constitute an expert committee to review the 51-year-old Meghalaya State Reservation Policy of 1972. It has been vocal also on many other issues, especially on corruption.
With its clean and community-centric politics, the party is currently campaigning hard at the grassroots level to secure victory for its probable candidate Ricky AJ Syngkon in the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
The Congress is living in silence. Although Ronnie V Lyngdoh took over as the Leader of Opposition, the Congress has remained relatively calm on the pressing issues. The party is facing a depleting popularity as evidenced by the defeat of its state chief and Lok Sabha member Vincent H Pala in the Assembly polls.
The TMC had gone all guns blazing in the Assembly elections but ended up winning only five seats. Recently, its leader George B Lyngdoh relinquished the posts of party’s state vice president and Umroi Block Committee president which caught everyone unawares.
In his resignation letter, Lyngdoh said the decision was driven by personal circumstances. There were media reports that he was in talks with the NPP to be its Shillong candidate in the Lok Sabha polls.
TMC stalwart and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is said to be upset with the party leadership following the party’s dismal poll performance and is in some kind of talks with the BJP. He has begun disregarding the party and everyone else, sources said.
The man, who led his team to Kolkata in 2021, has started acting strangely. The TMC is undecided on contesting the Lok Sabha polls.