SANDEEP
MENDIPATHAR:
The border deal between the Assam and Meghalaya governments appears to be pushing people in Mendipathar towards the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the upcoming Assembly elections, but BJP claims it would not be an issue.
During a conversation with The Meghalayan, a section of the people, who attended the rally of the TMC on January 18, said they are looking for Mukul Sangma to come to power in the state as Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has failed to deliver during his five-year regime.
Both chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya had signed a memorandum of settlement (MoS) on March 31, 2022, to resolve boundary disputes in six areas of difference between the two states.
“This agreement has been a trap for Conrad Sangma and his government. He has lost ground here,” Armond Sangma, a resident of Resubelpara, said while adding, “We have decided to make Mukul Sangma our chief minister, because he is a nice person and will not deceive us. He (Conrad) has given our land to Assam. There is no question to support him.”
As many as 7,000 people gathered in the meeting which TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed and asked the people to choose the two flowers, the TMC’s symbol, to oust the corrupt “proxy BJP government” in Meghalaya.
The rally, coincidentally, came on the day the poll schedule for Meghalaya was announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
To woo the voters, Banerjee said: “I came here to tell you that TMC is the only party that can give you better governance and help achieve the dreams of the youth, the students, and the women. ”
“The TMC will need to work for poor and downtrodden people of our land,” said Papon Rabha, a resident of Mendipathar, who attended the rally.
“Conrad Sangma has done nothing for us in the last five years,” he also said.
However, a social activist and a resident of Langpih, Hesdingstar Sanglein, observed: “TMC can win some seats in Garo area but in the Khasi area, there is no voice except in one or two constituency.”
“These slogans and promises are all publicity stunts. They will do nothing if voted to power. The situation in West Bengal is not similar to that of Meghalaya,” Sanglein said.
“We the people of Langpih area face great problems because we are far from banks, block office, hospitals and no good roads in this area. Both Assam and Meghalaya governments do not take the responsibility to develop this area and the people are very poor and illiterate,” he also said.
“Development should be the main mantra for the election. But Mamata Banerjee’s sky-high promises will not be applicable to us. Six candidates are in the fray from our constituency. Let see who will win,” he added.
Many people from Assam’s Goalpara and Kamrup districts also came to join the rally. It seems the Garo people who have been opposing the border deal are extending their support to the TMC in this election.
“We want our land back. The border MoS should be repealed. They have made the deal without our knowledge and consent,” said Monsumi Momin, a TMC youth wing worker.
“This border deal, church persecution will not be issues for the upcoming elections. We have been working here. No NPP, no TMC will get vote here. We will win from Mendipathar,” claimed Dr Numal Momin, BJP leader and deputy speaker, Assam Legislative Assembly.
Momin has been working in Mendipathar and several other constituencies of Garo hills since November last year.
“We will fight this election alone. There will be a triangular fight among TMC, NPP and BJP, and we will win. We will be the deciding factor in the formation of government,” Momin also said.
“There is an undercurrent and it is in favour of the BJP. The people here want us. But the problem is that we do not have potential candidates. Anyway, we will manage to publish the candidates’ list after January 26.
“I have talked to the majority of church leaders here. They told us forced conversion, church persecution will not be issues for the election here. They want development. Only the illiterate section of the voters will fall victim to such hollow promises made by Mamata Banerjee. But all literate people are with us,” he added.
Echoing a similar view, another senior BJP leader Digors Shira said, “People have lost faith in both NPP and TMC. The TMC has no stability. Their leadership is not stable. Many real workers of the party have left the party to join other groups.”
“TMC is also facing a crisis. They are fielding Pardinent D Shira from Mendipathar. He is a fresh candidate and will contest for the first time.
“Yesterday (January 18) they organised a big rally. They brought people from all across Garo Hills. But it does not mean that they will win all seats from Garo Hills. I think the people have not accepted them,” he said.
In regards to the border deal, he said “TMC has no right to talk of Assam-Meghalaya border issue. They should first talk of the Gorkhaland issue. Gorkhas have contributed towards nation-building, but TMC has rejected their demands. They should not talk about boundary dispute between Assam and Meghalaya.”