Shillong, July 26: Service delivery and not street protest can measure the true leadership quality in a person, said NPP national vice-president and Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar while campaigning for NPP’s Shillong Lok Sabha bye-election candidate Dr DRL Nonglait.
Participating in an election campaign meeting at Nongtalang, Dhar cautioned people against being “misled” by new political entrants who, he said, appear during elections but fail to deliver afterward.
“Please do not be misled. Now a new party has come, it comes like a storm, it says it loves the people and everyone goes and votes in support of that party. Sadly, after the election is over, when the people ask for things, they get nothing,” he said.
He added that leaders must work for the people instead of merely raising issues on the streets.
“Those who truly love the people are leaders who work hard for the public, not those who ‘love the people’ on the streets, who carry party flags without knowing head or tail, and in no time organise protests here and there,” Dhar said.
“If just holding protests can get you schemes, then what is the use of having an Assembly? We don’t need to build an Assembly anymore, just keep talking on the streets and keep protesting. If a leader has to look for people every time he goes, then he is not fit to be your leader of the constituency,” he stated.
Dhar said leaders should act as caretakers for the public and raise constituency issues inside the Assembly.
“We have an Assembly, and it is your issues that we should raise there, not raise people’s issues on the streets. Leaders are those who lose sleep for you, not leaders who call the people and say ‘let us go to the Secretariat or Central Library’. This is wrong,” he said.
Calling Amlarem one of the “most educated constituencies,” the Deputy CM urged voters to extend strong support to Dr Nonglait.
“Dr Nonglait’s voice in Delhi will be the voice of the people of the state. Please fully support Dr DRL Nonglait,” he appealed.
Dhar also listed development works undertaken by the NPP-led government under the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
He said several new schools have been set up in the region and that proposals for a four-lane road and a land port to ease trade with Bangladesh are “under process”.
He added that the government has rolled out schemes for farmers and is preparing to provide grants to them within the current financial year.
The Deputy CM further highlighted progress in health, power, sports, education and other sectors, and sought public backing to ensure completion of ongoing projects.
