We want to apologise for our shortcomings.
We will work harder and try to improve: Dy CM
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 12: Deputy Chief Minister and NPP leader Sniawbhalang Dhar on Wednesday said people of the state were, possibly, disillusioned with the NPP-led government’s performance and voted for another party.
Dhar said the party is trying to find out where the lapses occurred and what went wrong.
“We carry out a post-mortem after every election whether we win or lose. We retrospect so we can correct wherever we were lacking,” he said, while claiming that the government worked tirelessly for the citizens and assured that it will continue to work in the best interest of the public.
“We are not biased towards anyone. We want to apologise for our shortcomings. We will work harder and try to improve,” Dhar said.
On the Voice of the People Party’s pre-election promises about jobs, he said some time, the smart voters will assess what they can expect from the one they are voting for.
Dhar said the Lok Sabha poll results will not impact the Assembly elections in 2028. He said Assembly, Autonomous District Council and Lok Sabha elections are very different from one another.
Respecting the mandate of people, he said winning and losing elections are a part of politics.
“Political parties must learn from their mistakes. They must correct the mistakes and perform better,” he said.
On the other hand, NPP leader and Cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh dismissed reports that the party’s setback was due to its ties with the BJP.
“If you are not in line with the NDA, then your state will be compromised. So, we need to figure out. Do you want the state to compromise its connection with the Government of India or you just want to get on this mood which is irrational?” she said.
“Do you wish for political instability? We are a government. We need to figure this out together,” Lyngdoh stated.
She highlighted the shifting landscape of Indian politics, noting the emergence of alliances such as the NDA and the INDIA bloc, which illustrates individual parties can no longer appease the voters on their own.
Reflecting on Meghalaya’s political history, she remarked, “The state of Meghalaya is not alien to coalition partnerships. It is one of the fathers of coalition politics. We have seen this happening in the state since inception.”
She stressed on adapting to the evolving political environment, particularly in light of the ongoing NDA versus INDIA bloc dynamics.
She cautioned against the influence of election propaganda, urging people to discern between campaign rhetoric and real political situations. “There is propaganda during election. Do not confuse propaganda with real situation,” Lyngdoh said.
She called for unity, reminding citizens of their shared identity and heritage.
“Meghalaya is Khasi, Garo and Jaintia. Like it or not, it is a fact. Please let us not divide ourselves. Let us learn lessons from states where there was bloodshed because of that,” she said.
Implying that this is the time for the government to introspect and do a post-mortem about where they are going wrong, she added that the voter-leader connect that is missing could be one.