By Benjamin Lyngdoh
Politics is about perspective. The politician/party that can conjure and sell the most convincing narrative to the voters will win elections. The narrative being used as a political spearhead by the Voice of the Peoples’ Party (VPP) is ‘clean politics’ on the platform of involving and informing the masses about everything that they do and intend to do. This is an interesting development as in the recent past none of the other political parties have used this approach as a strategy. Looking at the current wave the VPP strategy is striking a positive chord with the voters. Now, will the other parties react?
From the assembly
to the street
When MLAs make legislation in the assembly it is not really news. But when politicians take to the streets on one pretext or the other it becomes hot news. Voters quipped lightly that for every push Mawlai MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang took from the cops his vote share increased by a 100. Right or wrong and meaning or demeaning, this action of hitting the street is appealing to many. From the issue of revisiting the reservation policy to the reinstatement of the sacked Lokayukta officials, the street action is working. The state government has been left red-faced on both occasions. Political discourse is about ordering and disordering. VPP is disordering known processes and procedures and the people love it. When in the past such issues are debated only in the assembly, now the table has turned. For instance, just less than a day after Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong unequivocally said that the government will not invite VPP for talks on the Lokayukta issue, Ampareen Lyngdoh invited them for talks. Is this a case of some disagreement in the government or has her MP candidature dawned upon the NPP that they cannot afford any negative news. Be that as it may, VPP is calling the shots and all other parties are scrambling for a competing strategy.
People and politics
Few days before the Meghalaya MLA election in 2023, two ladies selling seasonal fruits at Laitlum tourism spot asked this writer about the constituency to which he belongs. On saying Nongthymmai they inquired about the presence of VPP. It was difficult to give them a clear answer as at that point of time VPP at Nongthymmai constituency was non-visible. Then they very proudly said that ‘ma ngi shane te ngi don ia i Bah Ardent bad in sa trei bor bah’ (we have Ardent and he will do great things). In a chance encounter with these same two ladies last week at Laitumkhrah they smiled and said ‘phi iohi, ngi lah dep ong em ia phi’ (you see, we have already told you). What struck at that moment was the connection between people and politics. It may not be so apparent in cities/towns, but in the rural hamlets people look at politics and what happens in it through the prism of VPP. Politics is about being a breath of fresh air. For the rural folk this air is VPP. Through media stories it is easy for the villagers to see what development is happening in other villages (say south India or Gujarat). They question why this is not happening for them as well and they see VPP as the only hope.
God and politics
While bringing God into politics is nothing new, its intensity and frequency has increased manifold ever since VPP came into the picture. All objectives, goals and courses of action are presented and fed into the voters as a will/desire and a guidance of God. On careful analysis of Meghalaya’s political discourses of the past, never has God been as prominent as currently. Politics is about using a trump card. It is impossible to say if VPP is explicitly bringing God into its political strategies to woo the voters. What is clear is that when God and politics are combined regularly and at all junctures/issues it implicitly works on the psychology of the voters. The party is then seen to be God fearing/loving and in a state where the majority of voters are Christians it will impact upon voter decision-making. Maybe VPP is bringing God and politics as an honest intention, but on the ground it is creating positive vibes. The outcome of this development is that the other political parties are also starting to use God more frequently in their messages and arguments. The manner in which VPP is acting and how others are just reacting is indeed a very interesting picture.
ADC elections
The KHADC and JHADC elections are going to be delayed to at least till after the MP election. To many observers they have seen this coming since December, 2023. It is wrong to think that delimitation of the two ADCs is the only reason for the delay. VPP is without doubt one of the most popular parties today if not the most popular. The recent political developments show that if the ADC elections are held as per schedule, VPP will be winning many seats. This will further add to the popularity of its MP election candidate Ricky A J Syngkon. For MDA 2.0 the only way to deal with this wave is to delay the ADCs election and make sure that VPP loses the MP election. This then can be used to convince the voters about the decline and fall of VPP as and when the ADC elections happen. This shows that MDA 2.0 is constantly on the look-out and is working to fight and defeat VPP. In recent days the direct attacks on VPP has increased and even the social media comments which have always tended to be pro-VPP are now starting to turn negative.
A caution
Very specifically when students were asked as to why they find VPP appealing their answer ranged from it is a teacher-oriented party, teacher-led to it is a highly intellectual party. While delving into the answers it was found that there was not much of a mention of Ardent Basaiawmoit or Adelbert Nongrum. The students mostly saw VPP as a teacher political party. The point is that teachers will always be teachers in their psyche even if they go on to become politicians. Then this raises a question. Does Ardent need the teachers to propel to political success or do the teachers genuinely look at Ardent as the only hope to bring change in Meghalaya? Perhaps this question has not been asked and assessed enough. In the current crop of VPP leaders Ardent Basaiawmoit is the only seasoned politician who has come through ups and downs. His political instinct is far ahead than any of the other teacher leaders. Will this political instinct subsume all the others at the time of reckoning? Is it possible?
In the end, politics also requires shrewdness (and cunningness if you like) and the willingness to change track as and when demanded. Will VPP do so when required or will it stick to the one-faced and one direction approach in politics? Time will tell; it always does.
(The writer teaches at NEHU; email: [email protected])