Shillong, Feb 6: National People’s Party (NPP) leader and cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday dismissed talk of a possible hung verdict in the upcoming polls to the KHADC and JHADC claiming her party is in pole position to win both autonomous bodies with a “comfortable majority” on the grounds of “good governance”.
Both the Khasi Hills and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Councils (KHADC-JHADC) are heading to polls on February 21st. In a house of thirty seats, elections are taking place for 29 MDC seats in each council, with one MDC seat slated for nomination.
Giving a perspective of her party’s position in the ensuing elections, Lyngdoh exuded confidence that the NPP is geared up to face their adversaries at the polls, saying, “I have a feeling that these MDC elections may have results which are far different from the previously held elections in the state. It would be incorrect for me to sound overconfident, but our candidates are grounded and supported by the party in as many ways as possible to ensure that our numbers in the district councils are comfortable and secured.”
Reacting to claims by other parties, the NPP leader predicted that the MDC elections will indicate a different picture from the last MP elections.
“The results will reveal the actual picture. We will come up with the right numbers and the pulse of the elections indicate a different picture from the MP elections, that is why I am confident,” said Lyngdoh.
Dismissing talk of a fractured mandate, she questioned, “Which results in the state of Meghalaya has never had complicated numbers? Look at the numbers of all the elections we’ve had down the years. After 1972, there have been multiple fracture verdicts. And now, it has only been the NPP with the single largest party mandate. That is the beauty of Indian democracy.”
Taking on those attacking and condemning the NPP despite its “pro-development” performance for the state, the cabinet minister said, “There is so much happening across the state and community- whether it is road, health or education sectors, I think it would be difficult for anyone to lie that the NPP is actually not doing a good job. I don’t think it is possible for people not to see or not to hear.”
She urged the naysayers to meet citizens and ask them about the ground reality.
“Look at employment generation and equality for all, income generation sources touching the block level, farmers, businessmen and entrepreneurs brimming with confidence after so many years. How do you get this kind of confidence? It is through stable governance which the NPP and its partners are delivering. If you don’t have stability, you will have problems,” she advised.
