SHILLONG:
While the United Democratic Party (UDP) is banking on sympathy votes to win Sohiong, its main opponent in the race for the assembly seat – the National People’s Party (NPP) is determined that sympathy wave will not play a major role in the May 10 election, given the fact that politics is unpredictable.
Polling in Sohiong was adjourned due to the demise of former MLA and UDP candidate HDR Lyngdoh. Polling in this constituency will be held on May 10 and counting on May 13.
Giving examples from the previous by-elections, National People’s Party (NPP) State President, WR Kharlukhi said, “Sympathy wave didn’t work in Rajabala, Selsella and Umroi, so on what grounds are we talking about such wave?”
In the 2021 by-polls in Rajabala, Congress failed to hold its fort and lost the seat to NPP wherein party’s candidate Md. Abdus Saleh defeated his nearest opponent Hashina Yashmin Mondal of Congress by a margin of over 1,926 votes. Polling in this constituency was necessitated following the death of Congress MLA Dr Azad Zaman.
Similarly, in the 2019 by-polls in Selsella, which was necessitated following the demise of Congress MLA Clement Marak, NPP’s Ferlin CA Sangma captured the seat after defeating Congress’ candidate and widow of late Clement Marak, June Eliana R Marak.
In the 2008 by-polls in Umroi that was necessitated following the demise of UDP’s EK Mawlong, the regional party failed to cash in on the sympathy wave as Mawlong’s son George B Lyngdoh lost the seat to Congress’ Stanlywiss Rymbai.
“Politics is dynamic. Sympathy wave and legacy politics don’t always work. And in this case, on what ground will sympathy wave work when the uncle (HDR Lyngdoh) was defeated by HSPDP (Samlin Malngiang) in 2018, with the help of his own nephew; now the same nephew (Synshar Kupar Lyngdoh Thabah) is contesting on a UDP ticket, expecting sympathy from the voters,” he said.
(L) HDR Lyngdoh’s nephew, Synshar Kupar Lyngdoh Thabah will go up against NPP’s Samlin Malngiang, the former HSPDP legislator who defeated HDR Lyngdoh in the 2018 assembly election.
The other parties in the fray include – BJP, Congress and TMC.
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