SHILLONG:
The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on March 4 held out veiled threats to the two Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) legislator-elect, Shakliar Warjri and Methodius Dkhar, for joining the National People’s Party-led alliance while asking them to return to the party.
The organisation also raised the demand for a Khasi chief minister.
The HYC had convened a meeting at Motphran to protest against the decision of the duo and also burnt their effigies.
Though the meeting was held at Motphran, several shops along the main Khyndai Lad road were closed. The Motphran meeting was organised at the Jaïaw local taxi parking stand which witnessed a huge turnout.
When HYC vice-president Donboklang Kharlyngdoh asked voters from the Mawthadraishan and Mawshynrut constituencies, which are represented by the two HSPDP MLAs-elect to raise their hands, only a few hands rose from the massive crowd.
Speaking at the meeting, Kharlyngdoh riled the public to stop the duo from attending the swearing-in at Raj Bhavan: “If you,” he threatened, referring to the legislators, “do not have a change of heart before March 7 (when the swearing-in will take place), then the public will go to the Raj Bhavan’s gate.”
In a warning to Dkhar and Warjri, Kharlyngdoh said, “Yes, fire erupted yesterday (Thursday) at the office of Methodius; do you want this fire to erupt somewhere else?”
Mooting for a Khasi chief minister from amongst the regional parties, he urged the two return to the party.
He added that the people of Khasi Hills have allowed non-Khasis – referring to Garos – to govern, starting with the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA –I and MUA-II, MDA –I), and are demanding for a Khasi chief minister.
Echoing Kharlyngdoh, the general secretary of HYC Roy Kupar Synrem questioned the people’s choice of Conrad Sangma as chief minister.
“We want a Khasi as chief minister. We are not communal. We want our rights,” he said.
Meanwhile, president of Hynniewtrep National Youth Movement Louis Dohtdong said that the two legislators should come back, and they have time till March 6.
Erwin Sutnga, adviser to Ka Sur U 7trep, urged people to be peaceful, and at the gathering, requested the people to shout “No NPP,” to which the crowd too responded.
Tynsong, on his part, has repeatedly stated since counting day on March 2 that the will of the people has decided the mandate in favour of his party.
It should be noted that the two constituencies embroiled in this saga remain peaceful with HSPDP supporters from the Maweit zone, the Lyngngam zone and from Dong Pdeng and Shiliang Wahblei publicly extending support to Dkhar’s decision as being beneficial to the constituency.