By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 24: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) is yet to disclose who among its 17 election winners will become the Chief Executive Member (CEM) in the KHADC.
“We will inform (you) when we take the decision,” VPP chief, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said on Monday.
He said the party will wait for the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected MDCs and the election of the chairman before naming the CEM.
According to him, the party does not need to stake claim to form the new Executive Committee (EC) since it already has the numbers. “We will only need to follow the procedures which are there,” he said.
Basaiawmoit attributed the resounding victory in the KHADC to the people’s acceptance of the ideology and principles of the VPP.
He said the party could have won in JHADC had there been no use of muscle power and intimidation.
He said the failure of the district authorities to take proactive measures in providing security to the VPP candidates and workers was one of the factors behind the party managing to win eight seats in JHADC.
“The situation in Jaintia Hills is not like in East Khasi Hills where the people are free to vote. If this had happened, we would have got the number we anticipated in the JHADC without any doubt,” he said.
Basaiawmoit said the fight of the party is not restricted to changing the mindset of the people about the importance of clean and corruption-free governance.
He said some forces are trying to create controversies by saying the VPP is against the Dorbar Shnongs and the media.
“I am happy that the people have reposed their faith on the principles and agenda of the party,” the VPP chief said.
Replying to a query, he said he is happy that they have been able to change the outlook of the people who are now voting by looking at the party leadership and its principles.
“We have managed to do this due to the hard work and vigorous campaign of the party to educate them,” Basaiawmoit said.
When asked if his political opponent tried to question his absence from the constituency, he said the people of Nongkrem constituency are not selfish and they would like the people of other constituencies get the same education they have received under his leadership.
“The people of my constituency know my responsibility as a leader. The people do not look at me as a local MLA but as the leader of the Hynniewtrep tribe,” he said.
Basaiawmoit said the outcome of the elections has proved critics wrong as the VPP won not only in Nongkrem.
“We have convincingly won from Pomlakrai and Madanrting which previously fell under Nongkrem Assembly constituency. These areas were forcefully attached to Mylliem and Nongthymmai constituencies,” he said.
VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh said that in Jaintia Hills district, they were up against money and muscle power which played a very important role in the outcome of the JHADC election.
“As per the reports we received, money and muscle power played a very important role in this election but the intervention of the VPP has brought a lot of change in the political environment and areas of the JHADC. We believe we will be able to perform very well in the future through political education and awareness,” he said.
He explained why the party could secure eight out of the 29 seats in the JHADC and fell short of its target.
“In JHADC, we knew that it was a fight against money and muscle power,” he said and pointed to “so many” sensitive and hyper sensitive polling stations in two districts.
Admitting that elections in the JHADC are a “different ballgame”, Myrboh thanked the people who supported the VPP in some areas of the Jaintia Hills where it had never won before.
“The courage they have shown to come out in support for VPP is remarkable and we hope in future, we will do better and try to bring a political culture in Jaintia Hills which is truly democratic,” he added.
“We express our gratitude and thankfulness to the people of the East and West Jaintia Hills districts for coming in large number and supporting the VPP in spite of winning only 8 seats.