By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 30: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) appears to be bucking the trend of political parties spending heavily and mobilising supporters during election campaigns.
According to the party, people are contributing money to fund the party’s campaign for the upcoming Shillong Lok Sabha by-election.
Across campaign meetings in the Khasi-Jaintia region, supporters are donating spontaneously—from loose coins and Rs 10 notes to Rs 500 and multiples thereof. At a recent public meeting in Sohra, the party collected Rs 22,489 in coins and currency notes.
The cash, gathered in a piece of cloth, was counted publicly.
The sudden demise of MP Ricky A.J. Syngkon necessitated the by-election to the Shillong parliamentary seat. His victory in the 2024 polls marked a significant milestone for the VPP.
The VPP, seeking to retain the constituency, has fielded academician Batskhem Myrboh, who has been campaigning on issues of governance, accountability, and the party’s commitment to clean politics.
At campaign venues, the collection of donations has become a regular feature. Elderly villagers, farmers, daily wage earners, shopkeepers, students, and party supporters are often seen stepping forward with contributions of varying amounts.
While the individual donations may appear modest, party workers say the exercise demonstrates the supporters’ willingness to invest in a political movement they identify with.
For the VPP, the collections serve both practical and symbolic purposes. The money helps meet campaign expenses, but party leaders also point to the exercise as evidence of grassroots participation. They argue that public contributions reduce dependence on wealthy donors and strengthen accountability to ordinary voters.
The fundraising drive also reflects the party’s broader political narrative.
Since it emerged as a major political force in Meghalaya, the VPP has consistently projected itself as an alternative to traditional politics, campaigning on themes of transparency, clean governance, and opposition to corruption. For the party, the public collections during campaign meetings have become an extension of that message.
Political observers note that while crowd-funding and small-donor campaigns have gained prominence in several democracies around the world, such practices remain relatively uncommon in Meghalaya’s electoral landscape. Election campaigns in the state have traditionally been viewed as expensive exercises requiring substantial financial resources.
Against this backdrop, the sight of supporters voluntarily contributing money at public meetings presents a notable contrast.
Whether the collections significantly influence the campaign’s overall finances is debatable. However, their political significance lies elsewhere.
Party leaders said every coin and every currency note contributed by supporters reinforces the VPP’s attempt to project itself as a party sustained by grassroots support rather than by a handful of influential financiers.
As campaigning intensifies ahead of polling, donations continue to accumulate, meeting after meeting, transforming what would ordinarily be a routine collection into a visible statement of political participation.
For supporters of the party, donating, regardless of the amount, has become a way of expressing ownership of a campaign they hope will carry forward the legacy of the late Syngkon and help secure victory for Batskhem Myrboh in the by-election.
