MAWKYRWAT: Leaders of different political parties in Ranikor have agreed that only a common candidate with “vast experience, maturity and wisdom” can defeat five-time MLA and NPP candidate Martin M Danggo in the upcoming by-poll.
Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief P.N Syiem held a meeting at Wahkaji in the constituency on Friday to discuss about the upcoming by-election. Leaders and supporters from PDF, UDP, Congress, BJP and NPP (led by Don Massar), who attended the meeting, want Danggo’s defeat as he had “failed the people of the constituency in terms of development in the last 20 years as an MLA and Cabinet minister”.
However, after brainstorming L Kharbani, who supported UDP in the last election, said, “We lost against Danggo in five consecutive terms because we were not united and also because we did not have a proper candidate to contest against him. UDP lost the last two Assembly elections because the candidate was a junior in politics and he will lose again in the by-poll even if we allow him to have fair fight against Danggo.”
“Why was the MLA so bold to resign from the post of MLA only four months after election to the Assembly? It is because there is no one among those who have contested him in the past who can defeat him,” he said, adding, “to fight against a bull, we need to send a bull, not a calf”.
Meanwhile, Syiem said the chosen candidate should be the one who can make laws. “Law is the weapon and wall that will protect the indigenous people,” he added while criticising successive state governments for failing to do that.
Danggo failed
Denouncing the former Congress MLA for failing to bring about positive change in the constituency, Syiem said, “For more than 20 years as an MLA, he could not make road connectivity between Wahkaji area and Ranikor and people have to walk 4-5 hours to reach Ranikor. I feel ashamed to call him a former PWD minister because road connectivity is very poor in this constituency.”
The former Mawsynram MLA, who was projecting himself as the common candidate of the MDA allies barring NPP, observed that if voters in the constituency seek change then they have to support a common candidate “who is matured, experienced and can carry the burden of the people”.
Others who spoke include UDP vice president Warsan Lyngdoh Zone, Amoswell Kharbani, former president of the NPP Ranikor Block C. Shangdiar, president of the District Mahila unit of BJP and leaders of the Congress and PDF.
Danggo’s entry into NPP not imminent
Former Congress legislator Martin M Danggo will join the National People’s Party (NPP) shortly after the inauguration of the Ranikor civil sub-division on July 10, NPP state president W.R Kharlukhi informed on Friday.
Danggo will be the NPP candidate for the upcoming Ranikor by-poll.
Responding to a query, Kharlukhi said the party has not started the ground work for the Ranikor by-poll since Danggo is yet to join the party.
When asked if the decision of the MDA coalition partner UDP to put up a candidate and the possibility of another common candidate will have any effect on Danggo’s prospect, he said the party will not divulge its strategy but will do everything necessary to win the by-poll.
The Congress, though dented by the resignation of Danggo, has asserted that the party will field a candidate in Ranikor but at the same time it is assessing the offer of the UDP leaders in Ranikor to support their candidate.
