SHILLONG, Jan 25: VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Thursday said the NPP-led MDA II government will do anything to be in the good books of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The present government agrees to any policy of the BJP-led NDA government even if it is against the people of the state. They always like to be patted by Modi,” he said while addressing a public meeting at Mawkhar.
He said the VPP is getting support from many groups in the Garo Hills for the reinstatement of the sacked Lokayukta officials. He advised the government to appoint retired officers instead of those in service.
“The officers who are in service are answerable to their political boss. Not only this, the officers in service will have to carry the file to the minister’s chamber. But the retired officers are not answerable to anyone and they can function independently,” the VPP chief said.
He said that the government should not have a problem paying four or five retired officers to ensure there is transparency in the system.
The VPP’s North Shillong MLA, Adelbert Nongrum said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma should not treat the Lokayukta as his property.
“The Meghalaya Lokayukta is an institution created by an Act which deals with corruption against public representatives on complaints made by the people. I do not think it is right to interfere with its functioning,” he said.
Basaiawmoit said he would like to see the people use the Meghalaya Lokayukta to find out how the legislators are implementing the MLA schemes.
“I would be happy if people ask questions about how I have implemented my MLA scheme. This is one way to fight against corruption in the system,” he said.
Taking a dig at RDA common candidate Robertjune Kharjahrin, the VPP chief said the vote share of his party in the 18 seats it had contested in the 2023 Assembly polls was higher as compared to the other parties.
Reacting to the appeal of Kharjahrin not to vote for the VPP since it will divide the vote bank of the regional parties, Basaiawmoit said the VPP had done outstanding well in all the seats it had contested.
He expressed surprised at the claim of the RDA common candidate that the UDP-HSPDP combine has a better chance of winning the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
“The truth is that the VPP is a major threat all the parties since it has a better prospect of winning the Shillong seat,” Basaiawmoit added.
