SHILLONG : National People’s Party (NPP) leader and Cabinet Minister Wailadmiki Shylla has described former state party president Dr Wanweiroy Kharlukhi’s decision to support Congress candidate Vincent H Pala in the Shillong Lok Sabha byelection as a surprise, but said it was too early to assess its electoral impact.
Shylla acknowledged Kharlukhi’s long association with the NPP, dating back to the party’s founder, the late P A Sangma. However, he maintained that the implications of the veteran leader’s decision would become clear only as the election progresses.
“I cannot particularly comment. No doubt Dr Kharlukhi has been a very senior leader for quite a very long time since our founder leader late P A Sangma was there. It has come as a surprise for us. But whether it will have an impact or not, I am not in a position to comment. We will have to wait and watch,” Shylla said.
On Kharlukhi’s concerns over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), Shylla said the NPP had been actively raising the issue with the Union Government.
He pointed out that Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had led a delegation to press for the party’s concerns and that the Union Government had accepted its request to include the newly elected Rajya Sabha member in the FCRA committee.
“We have been vocal on this issue from day one and are still in discussion with the Union Government,” Shylla said.
The NPP leader also highlighted Kharlukhi’s statement that his support was for Pala as a candidate rather than for the Congress party itself.
“He just said he is there to support the candidate, not the party, so he is supporting Vincent H Pala,” Shylla said, adding that elections in Meghalaya often see voters make different choices in parliamentary, Assembly and district council contests.
He said it was therefore premature to draw conclusions about how Kharlukhi’s decision might influence the byelection.
Meanwhile, Shylla expressed confidence in the prospects of NPP candidate Dr D R L Nonglait, claiming that public support for the party was increasing.
Citing recent election meetings in Jowai and Umroi, he said the large turnouts indicated growing interest in Nonglait’s candidature, even during the harvesting season.
“With social media you can see yourself. Last week in Jowai, in spite of harvesting time, the turnout was huge. Even today in Umroi, the turnout was huge. Support is growing day by day,” he said.
Shylla described Nonglait as a calm candidate capable of connecting with people across generations. He also claimed that people supporting other political parties were attending NPP meetings and expressing their willingness to back the NPP candidate.
On the party’s election manifesto, Shylla said details would be shared publicly in due course.
“It is too early for me to say. Definitely we will share with all of you,” he added.