VPP to win from all 18 seats: Ardent 

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 4, 2023

Voice of the People (VPP) chief and former legislator of Nongkrem Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Saturday expressed confidence to win from all 18 seats that the party is contesting in the upcoming assembly elections, to be held on February 4.

“This is because we are the only alternative to bring in good governance in the state. You cannot expect good governance in the state when all political parties are using money power in order to get elected,” Basaiawmoit said after filing his nomination.

He was accompanied by his wife and son.

According to him, the response of the people towards the objective of bringing a political change through clean politics has been spontaneous.

Stating that the VPP has been floated to fight against corruption, Basaiawmoit said, “When we say clean politics it means you declare war against corruption and if the people voted us to power we will definitely clean the entire system. We will not only assure good governance to the people but we will also ensure that those who have looted and plunder the state should be brought to justice.”

When asked, the VPP leader said that the reason that led to the formation of the VPP is because of the failure of all the political parties, especially the regional parties. “They (regional parties) don’t have a backbone to stand on their own principles. Their interest is to win elections and be in the government and be in power.”

On the claim of the NPP leader and cabinet minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare that he is confident that the people of Nongkrem will vote for him as he had performed well in Mawhati constituency, Basaiawmoit said, “Well I don’t need to say anything on that because the candidate who is also a relative of the sitting MLA of Mawhati has already told everything before the media and before the people about the situation and condition of the Mawhati constituency.”

Refusing to comment on the performance of the sitting legislator Lambor Malngiang, the VPP leader said, “I don’t have to say anything because March 2 will tell clearly about his performance. If his performance is good people will still vote for him and if the performance is not as expected then they will not vote for him.”

Basaiawmoit said that the reason that led to his defeat in 2018 was because he was “too strong as a contender”.

“I was too strong as a contender which made my opponents to join hands together to get me defeated and there is some kind of misleading to the people on the connection of Aadhaar and the EVM machine – so those who fall for that kind of belief, they look at me and think that I am strong enough even without their support I will still manage to win. So my very own supporters decided not to cast their votes because of that fear,” he said.  

When asked, Basaiawmoit said there is no truth in the allegation that he does not need non-tribal votes.

“It was not true. In fact it was distorted. I used to say that I am a leader who is always concerned about the interest of the indigenous people of the state but at the same time without depriving the constitutional rights of the other citizens living in the state. But in politics, when you say one thing, they will try to distort the statement,” he said.

“It is not a fact that I said that I don’t need the votes of the non-tribal, I only say that I am person who is more concern about the interest of the indigenous people without depriving – there’s not a single thought in my mind that I am going to deprive these people just because they are not indigenous people. I feel that indigenous people need a leader who will take more care for them because they have been left high and dry all these years,” he added.