SHILLONG:
North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum hit out at regional parties on October 17 accusing them of handing over governance to national party in return for favours.
Speaking to The Meghalayan, he said, “The regional parties claim that they have a regional outlook but they compromise the issues for the chair and the share. It is the regional parties that give strength to the national parties. Who gave the key? The UDP gave the key to the NPP.”
With various regional parties gearing up for the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections, he said that it is high time to strengthen the state rather than prioritise revamping political parties.
As for joining the Voice of People Party (VPP), Nongrum said that he will join at the right time.
Lauding the leader of the VPP, Ardent Basaiawmoit, as a dynamic, he said, “My decision to join the VPP still stands. The VPP leader is someone who believes that taking up issues of the public is a priority. It is an alternate option available to the public. Whereas, when it comes to others (parties), what they promise in the election is completely different from what they practise.”
Stating that a number of issues can be achieved through clean politics, he said that the foundation of VPP is clean politics. He is pleased that the party has clean and has fresh faces to offer in the upcoming elections.
With a number of bigwigs set to contest from North Shillong constituency, Nongrum believed that adhering to his principles will ensure his victory.
“It is up to the public to decide. I will stick to my principles,” Nongrum said. It will be the third time that the MLA will contest in the assembly elections. He first contested in 2013 but lost.
Executive Engineer of PWD Ransom Sutnga, who became a household name after the dome of the under-construction Meghalaya Legislative Assembly collapsed, will contest from NPP, former Director of Health Services (DHS) MI Aman War will stand from UDP, and another likely candidate from BJP could be former top cop MH Kharkrang.
HARIJAN COLONY
Nongrum said that removing barricades from the Harijan Colony is one of the ways to reduce traffic congestion.
“The genuine residents should be relocated and the others should be evicted. Government should be serious about the matter. The traffic jam in the city can also ease if barricades from Harijan Colony are removed. Why give special protection?” he said.
He said that the respective government departments should take care of their employees be it the Shillong Municipal Board or any other.
He said that the matter has been pending for a long time since 2018 when the riots broke out.
Nongrum said that residents of the Harijan Colony did not approach him and the government also did not take him into confidence when it came to consultation.