Shillong, Oct 26: Pala, who is preparing for the Shillong Lok Sabha bypoll after losing the seat in 2024 following 15 years as MP, said the contest would be triangular.
Asked whether VPP still enjoyed the momentum it had in 2024, Pala said the situation had changed, with the earlier social media wave losing steam.
“Personally, I feel the wave in 2024 is different from what it is now. That time the social media wave was there,” he said.
Pala claimed that his visits to areas considered VPP strongholds had revealed a decline in support. He cited Mylliem, Sohra, Pynursla and parts of Jaintia Hills as areas where the party had previously received substantial backing.
“We don’t see the VPP’s wave going up, but it is going down day by day,” he said.
However, Pala said voters would make their final decision only after the election was officially announced and candidates filed their nominations.
“This election is going to be a triangular fight between Congress, NPP and VPP, but people will not decide until and unless an election is announced and every candidate files their names,” he said.
Targeting VPP’s administration of the autonomous district councils, Pala alleged a lack of transparency and accountability in their functioning. He also questioned the removal of several Syiems, saying some had challenged the decisions in court and won their cases.
He argued that the party’s handling of the district council raised questions about its ability to govern at the state and national levels.
“The people of Meghalaya are not fools, you can fool them once or twice but not thrice,” Pala said.
UDP defectors will face same fate as TMC: Pala
Meanwhile, Pala termed former minister Paul Lyngdoh a “wounded lion” after his switch from United Democratic Party (UDP) to National People’s Party (NPP), and said legislators who joined BJP did so on dreams that the party never keeps.
On the recent defection of 11 former UDP legislators – 3 to NPP and 8 to BJP, Pala said, “Many of them have joined the BJP based on dreams and hopes like I told you but I have seen in the BJP they never keep their promises and hopes and dreams. I am sure by 2028 people will deliver that hope to the MLAs.”
He said three leaders had joined the NPP, including Paul, who had served as a minister. Describing Paul as a “wounded lion” who had faced setbacks in his previous parties, he said he hoped Paul would perform well in the NPP, though it remained to be seen whether he would be made a minister.
Pala added that if the BJP and NPP failed to fulfil its promises, some of those who joined them could eventually leave, as happened with the TMC, where most leaders who joined with high hopes later moved away, with only one or two remaining.
