SHILLONG, June 20: Framing the monsoon chill and ongoing exams as a tactical backdrop, the Voice of the People Party (VPP) is doubling down on its “no-frills” campaign style to counter claims from the NPP and UDP that its 2024 political momentum is fizzling ahead of the Shillong by-poll.
The seat fell vacant following the sudden death of sitting MP Dr Ricky AJ Syngkon. While the Election Commission is yet to announce the poll schedule, the VPP has launched a grassroots outreach programme that it describes as a “warm-up session” rather than a full-scale offensive.
Party spokesperson Batskhem Airpeace Rani dismissed observations of thin crowds, asserting that the VPP is intentionally avoiding large-scale mobilisation. He stated that the current phase focuses on educating voters on the party’s 10-point charter of demands, which includes the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
“Since it is not yet the peak campaign period, the turnout was modest because we did not organise a major campaign,” Rani said. “As people are occupied with daily activities and the weather, we opted for smaller, localised meetings in villages and marketplaces.”
The VPP is using the outreach to distance itself from the conventional, high-spending electioneering of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP). Rani claimed the party does not rely on “organised mobilisation” to fill seats, stating that the VPP refuses to provide food, transport, or pandals to attract a crowd. Instead, the party relies on local units to inform residents of visits.
Addressing critics who suggest the VPP’s popularity has declined since the 2024 Lok Sabha general election, Rani argued that opponents are prematurely comparing the current quiet phase to the peak of the previous campaign. He noted that the party’s 2024 surge also began with modest interactions before gaining mass momentum closer to polling day.
By focusing on “austerity over optics,” the VPP aims to maintain its “clean politics” image, even as rivals suggest the party is struggling to replicate the wave that brought it to power earlier this year.
