SHILLONG:
Voice of the People Party (VPP), on June 21, decided to field Dr Ricky J Syngkon as the candidate for the upcoming Parliamentary election slated to be held in 2024.
The VPP Election Committee announced the name of Syngkon, the founding member and general secretary of the party during a press briefing held in Shillong on June 21.
When asked about the party’s chances to win the election, VPP vice president Dr Kara Chen said, “As a party, once we enter the fray, we move ahead and it’s up for the people to decide whether we win or lose.”
Asserting the party’s stand to go solo, Chen said, “We will go solo; we will not seek the support of other parties – national or regional. We need the support of the people and not any political party. In previous Assembly elections, we contested on our own and this time too, we will contest on our own.”
When asked about the agendas that VPP intends to fight on, the party’s vice president said that there are a lot of issues that are a cause of concern for society. “The reservation policy is one and if we are elected to the Lok Sabha, we will get a chance to voice our concerns on the floor of the Parliament – like Inner Line Permit (ILP) and other issues of the state,” he added.
Replying to a query on why the party decided to select an MP candidate before MDC candidates, he said that VPP is still screening candidates for the MDC election next year.
Regarding the procedures that went into choosing Syngkon to contest for MP election, Chen said, “We had received many applications and some also met our president personally to convey their willingness to contest the election.”
He informed that two applicants had applied — Dr Bahunlang Tron, who is the assistant professor at PGT College and Prof Lakhon Kma, a professor in NEHU, including Ricky Syngkon.
“We believe that once he contests from the party, he will win. That is what we feel because it does not only depend on the candidate but also the party he represents,” Chen said.