By H H Mohrmen
The verdict is out, and the mandate is clear: the new political party is here to stay. Leaders of the Voice of the People Party are certainly patting themselves on the back for a job well done. Of course, the party can do better and perform well in both districts, but they are obviously happy with the outcome. And as the saying goes: so far, so good.
Some call the victory of the VPP a reflection of the famous Greek saying, “Vox populi, vox Dei,” but I would refrain from doing so for two reasons. First, because I believe that in a democracy, the voices of the minority and marginalized sections of the population are also important. Second, because I don’t want to be caught in a trap where people with ulterior motives who use hate against minorities win elections and call their victory the voice of God.
If I were to agree with this notion, then I would also have to accept it when groups that propagate hate against other communities, religions, or races win elections and claim their victory as the voice of God. I’m sorry, but I don’t believe God would support hate.
VPP’s Magic Wand
Although the party would have loved to perform better, considering that it is only a few years old and competing against two well-established political parties that are also in power, they deserve a thumbs-up. This win is certainly by no means a small achievement.
The question their adversaries keep asking is: What is the magic? What helps the party connect with the public? Why are voters supporting the party? What does the Voice of the People Party have that attracts people to its fold?
Hope is the most important selling point that politicians, religious leaders, and businessmen use to attract people. In fact, hope is what leaders in any dispensation use to gain the support of the common people because hope sells in any situation, circumstance, or time. “Make America Great Again” or “India Shining” are examples of slogans that political parties use to instill hope in the people.
The VPP won the hearts of voters because of its three core agenda: clean politics, which vows to fight rampant corruption in the state; eliminating nepotism in government job appointments and the allotment of government contracts and supply work; and eradicating poverty. These are changes that the common people hope to see. Therefore, to call the victory a mere populist appeal is to underestimate the wisdom of the voters.
Hope for a Cleaner and Better Political System
Clean politics is the main agenda of the new party, and this has been its leader’s focus since 2010, when he first launched his clean politics campaign. Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has at least been consistent in his call for clean politics. Obviously, the party’s consistent demand to rid corruption from the government system has been accepted by voters.
The party also calls for fighting against nepotism, where only family members of those in power or party supporters get preference in government jobs or contract work. Appointments in government offices were made without interviews, as vacancies—particularly those at the district level—were not even informed to the respective District Selection Committees because the posts had already been filled by the supporters of MLAs.
People are not blind to these unfair practices, and the rise of the VPP, which has pledged to fight nepotism, resonates well with youths who have moved from pillar to post in search of jobs. The third important issue mentioned by the party president during the election campaign was fighting poverty and improving the state’s economy. This call has strongly connected with people, especially the youth.
Pent-up Anger Against the VIP Culture
Dr. Ampareen Lyngdoh, the National People’s Party candidate for the Shillong parliamentary constituency, uttered just five words after the VPP’s landslide victory in the last Lok Sabha election, where she was defeated by Dr. Ricky J. Syngkon: “The voters were very angry.” The voters have not forgiven or forgotten the “high-level” culture that prevails in the system today, where only those close to the government benefit from government jobs and contract work.
Voters are against the Very Important Person culture promoted by this government, where chairmen, committee and commission members, and even party leaders indulge in VIP privileges. This government has even provided security cover to contractors from their own parties and to ministers’ brothers, even when there is no perceived threat to their lives. Defying court orders, one would find ruling party leaders driving expensive cars with black-tinted windows and sirens. By contrast, prominent leaders of the VPP dress casually and do not seem interested in indulging in VIP culture.
The Party “Pdiang Borti”
The party’s claim of not using money during elections was questioned when candidates organized rallies and were accompanied by supporters during the filing and scrutiny of nomination papers. Supporters of the VPP attended rallies just as the supporters of the other parties did. The question is: Who sponsored the cost of transportation and other expenses? The party may claim that the expenditure was a contribution from supporters, yet the question remains—what is the need for spending so much money if the goal is to be different? If the party wants to be truly different, it should raise the bar higher in its efforts to clean up the election system rather than imitating what others do.
Critics have called them “ka party pdiang borti.” Fundraising from the public for new candidates is understandable, especially for first-timers, but what about candidates like the one who has already served two terms as an Member of the District Council? How can he allow poor porters and daily laborers to contribute to a campaign when the candidate is an incumbent MDC who benefited from pay and perks from the Autonomous District Council? Isn’t this a case of exploiting the poor?
It is also rather ironic that despite the party leadership’s fallout with the media, its popularity did not decline. Social media played a crucial role in helping the VPP gain much-needed popularity, and the credit goes to YouTubers.
Analyzing the ADC Election
Of all the seven MLAs from Jaintia Hills, Commingone Ymbon is the only one who still holds his constituency. Sniawbhalang may be right in his analysis that the VPP’s vote share declined from the last MP election to the ADC election, but what he failed to acknowledge is that his candidate from Nartiang-Wahiajer won against the VPP candidate by just seven votes.
One would expect that it would be a cakewalk for the NPP in Sniawbhalang’s own village, but to everyone’s surprise, his candidate almost lost. This should be a warning bell, especially since the constituency also includes Wahiajer, his birthplace. Indeed, the results of the ADC election serve as a warning for all MLAs of the MDA. The sign is clear: the public is fed up with their leaders’ antics.
One Man, One Post
One of the points on which Ardent was attacked during the campaign was the claim that he succumbed to Mukul Sangma’s pressure and resigned from his MDC post while retaining his MLA membership when the issue of “bam ar maloi” (dual political posts) was at its peak. Some MLAs were holding both MLA and MDC positions at the same time. Ardent did the right thing when the matter was taken to court, whereas Pynshngain N. Syiem fought and won the case in court.
Pynshngain and others may have won the case legally, but the fact remains that the salaries and benefits of members of both houses come from the public exchequer. If ordinary citizens are not allowed to benefit from two posts, the same rule should apply to politicians too.
Where is the Party Heading?
The journey to the Assembly is challenging. The numbers are 34 and 26, and the question is: Will the VPP focus solely on the Khasi-Jaintia region in the next three years? It is difficult, if not impossible, for the party to expect to win all the 34 seats from the Khasi Jaintia Hills region. Garo Hills also offers an opportunity for the VPP. With the ADC election in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council expected next year, is the VPP ready to take on the challenge and start organizing the party in the region?
