By Benjamin Lyngdoh
The campaigning for the 2028 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election has begun in right earnest. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has hit the ground running and VPP President Ardent Basaiawmoit has made his intention of a state-wide tour public. The norm now is to show a connection with the grassroots. MDA 2.0 is feeling the heat. On the other hand, VPP are sweating every time the state government inaugurates/announces a development project. Both sides are waiting for the other to commit a political blunder. Who will slip first?
Iewduh visit
The May 19, 2025 visit of the Chief Minister and his team to Iewduh, Shillong did make for good optics. The visit was needed to take stock of the crumbling infrastructure at Iewduh. Although the CM’s team stressed that it was not a political photo-op, the reality is that it was and any defence is nothing but a slip on a banana peel. When politicians visit a crowded marketplace, it is impossible to isolate the event from the perspective of gaining political brownie points. This type of public interactions at the grass roots will only increase in the coming months. Every politician/party will try to outsmart the other in terms of public immersion. The CM’s team harped proudly on the fact that it promised on an infrastructure development package of Rs 21 crores. In truth, this is nothing to sing about because any state government is duty-bound to announce a development package when it goes to a dilapidated space like the Iewduh. On the contrary, it would have been a crime had they not doled out any financial assistance. From that perspective, the visit was pretty mundane.
Check gate
The KHADC letter No.DC.RBF/VIII/25/2025/7 dated April 29, 2025 is an interesting read. Point number 6 of the letter makes it amply clear that ‘such checking shall not be on the National Highways/State Highways/PWD Rural Roads’. That is one major slip although it is true that without check gates the revenue generation of any District Council would suffer. It is to be noted that after following due procedure and permissions the District Councils do have the right to set up check gates at designated spots only. The biggest question here is why there was no tendering initiated for the check gate. If tendering was never a procedure for KHADC, then why was the contract not selected through a ‘drawing of lots’? There were others who were interested in the exercise. This is exactly the kind of situation which VPP promised to eradicate during their campaigns right from MLA to MP and District Council elections. No wonder this slip into nepotism has put the party in a bad place and very few defence statements have come on the issue (if at all they can be considered as a defence).
Jaitbynriew politics
Politics tends to blur and sometimes confuse what the ‘jaitbynriew’ is supposed to do. It is high time that Meghalaya shifts from a narrow-minded connotation of what politics can do and look at political options which can transform the socio-economic status of its people. The term jaitbynriew is equivalent to a ‘cocoon of comfort’. It impacts upon the psyche of the youth into myopic viewpoints on growth and development initiatives. For instance, the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Meghalaya is not that vibrant as the economy does not possess enough purchasing power. This is one of the reasons as to why many of the start-ups which target the local markets struggle. This is also the reason why so much emphasis is given on tourism development as the clients from outside Meghalaya then come and spend and add to the local economy. This goes together with the need for investment from big corporations in key sectors such as agriculture, livestock, etc. Which politician/party will take up the challenge? In most likelihood, no one will. No one wants to slip. This is due to the fear of a political backlash from the jaitbynriew.
So What next?
The best time for any politician/party to visit Iewduh is during the night hours. It is dark, eerie and dangerous. Plus, will the authorities and the state government take stock of the residents at Iewduh. This writer is not aware of any stock taking till date and the inhabitants who operate in it through the night. Infrastructure is one matter, safety and security is another important matter. The issues at Iewduh can be taken as a prototype for problems in all market spaces of Meghalaya. It is good to do politics ‘ha ka shit ka shai’; (during the day) but the night decides the day. Will the CM’s team and the VPP President’s team tread these challenging paths, or is it all about optics and taking the easy way out? In any case, what is next? Maybe, visiting the homes of the BPL families and having a simple square meal. Maybe, teach someone to swim. Even better, maybe teach someone how to make tea. This optics is so misleading and unwanted, but, in most likelihood the optics would continue till the time someone has a major slip-up.
Governance perspective
If the governance perspective is to be viewed on the basis of ‘outlook’ then MDA 2.0 can be considered as having a broader viewpoint. The state government is very clear in its approach. Development means investment from outside the state, sending the human resources outside the state and country, land banks, railways, etc. However, the major problem for it is the allegations of illegal coal mining, corruption and nepotism in its governance. It is a problem because the people do tend to follow and believe these allegations whatever clarification and defence the state government might present. This is a big banana peel with the potential for electoral gains for the opposition parties. The VPP’s perspective is more grounded in financial stability and dealing with the issue of debt-trap. It is looking into more sustainable ways of developing Meghalaya without splashing in events like festivals, concerts, etc. If VPP comes to power and leads the government in 2028 Meghalaya can expect a lot of austerity measures. But, this is also a slippery slope as in a revenue scarce Meghalaya where would the money come from if not debt-financing?
In the end, it all depends on the wisdom of the electorate. The voters will have to weigh between optics and substance and decide.
(The author teaches at NEHU: Email – [email protected])