EXCLUSIVE
The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has criticized the National People’s Party (NPP) for securing a majority in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, branding it a “proxy.”
Talking to Meghalaya News 24, VPP President Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit expressed discontent, asserting that the NPP’s majority lacks legitimacy, as it was not achieved through a direct electoral mandate.
“For me, there’s nothing to celebrate because this is not a case where people directly elected a party as the single largest. They achieved that number through proxy. Had they won on their own during the election, by the people’s verdict, I would have appreciated and congratulated them. But they obtained this majority through proxy,” Basaiawmoit remarked.
In response to NPP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar’s claims of ongoing talks with more opposition leaders, Basaiawmoit stated, “We, as a party, will not permit any member to defect. We will pursue legal action if necessary to uphold the law. There is no question of VPP legislators merging with the NPP. We do not engage with them; none of our MLAs do. We remain committed to our cause and will not betray our principles.”
Commenting on the recent merger of three Congress legislators with the NPP, Basaiawmoit noted, “The handling of this matter by the Congress party is crucial. According to the 10th Schedule, intended to prevent defection and party splits, this merger raises concerns. If the Congress challenges the Speaker’s decision, the future of these MLAs might be uncertain. A merger should typically mean the original party ceases to exist, as seen with the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) merging fully with the NPP. In this case, only the parliamentary party decided to merge, not the original party. This distinction could create issues for the Congress MLAs involved.”