SHILLONG, JAN 22: The inimitable Paul Lyngdoh, hugely successful and popular businessman Mohendra Rapsang and other candidates, who will be throwing their hats in the battle of the ballots to claim the Shillong West constituency assembly seat in the upcoming February 23 Meghalaya assembly elections, must be acutely aware that three segments of their constituency are dominated by unpredictable voters.
Four of the segments -Upper Mawprem, Lower Mawprem, Barapathar (Mawbah), Naspitighari (Lumsohphoh)- of what is now known as the Shillong West constituency were earlier part of the Mawprem constituency which was represented by Congress candidate DN Joshi for a record six terms.
But in 2003 Ardendhu Chaudhuri, who contested against the veteran politician from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), gave a shocker to the Congress by clinching its traditional seat. Later independent candidate Manas Chaudhuri- who is now contesting as Congress candidate from Shillong South constituency- filled the vacuum left by his brother’s death by winning the Mawprem bye-election and also the 2008 elections.
Three of the segments- Upper Mawprem, Mawbah and Lumsohphoh- of the delimited constituency Shillong West have predominately non-tribal voters. It is these voters both Paul Lyngdoh, who will be contesting in his new avatar as United Democratic Party (UDP) working president, and the Congress candidate Mohendra Rapsang will seek to woo in their quest for a win.
Before 2003, the voters of the constituency were largely Congress supporters, but since then some have moved to the BJP, while others are floating voters. The wily Lyngdoh, who is expected to do very well in the Jaiaw segment, will be eyeing these three segments to seal his victory. Rapsang, on the other hand, will be hoping that those who had left the Congress will come back to support him.
Speaking to this reporter, Lyngdoh, who has left KHNAM, said: “I am confident of leading from all the areas by a sizable margin. I have travelled to every nook and corner of the constituency, and the people have been very welcoming”. Conscious that security and peace are of paramount importance to the non-tribals, he said these would top his agenda. Building of inter-community relationship, he said, would be another priority area for him.
On the other hand Rapsang, who is fondly known as BahLang, banks on his family reputation of being a Good Samaritan and helping people. He hopes to cash on this reputation against his political opponents even as he said that he decide to enter politics so that he can be of more help to the people.
Bahlang also said his priority will be to bring about overall changes in the constituency and provide better service to his electorates. The Rapsang family has been involved in youths development programme for over three decades and is also credited for forming the first professional football club that brought laurel to the state.
The Shillong West constituency will witness a gripping electoral battle between the suave, experience and ear-to-the-ground politician Paul Lyngdoh and hugely successful business who hopes to use his business acumen in electoral politics-: By Associate Editor Suraj Joshi
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