SHILLONG : Deputy Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) national vice-president Sniawbhalang Dhar has questioned the turnout at the Voice of the People Party’s (VPP) rally at Polo, claiming that fewer than 10,000 people attended the event despite it covering all 36 constituencies.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday about the rally organised to mobilise support for VPP’s Shillong Lok Sabha candidate, Dr Batskhem Myrboh, Dhar argued that the gathering could not be considered a major show of strength.

“The VPP rally was for 36 constituencies, not even 10,000 people. How can you say it is a good turnout?” he said.

Dhar further claimed that the crowd numbered only around 7,000 to 8,000 people and asserted that an NPP rally involving all 36 constituencies would attract three times as many attendees.

“You should know that it is a public rally for 36 constituencies and not even 7,000–8,000 people. How can you say it is a big crowd?” he said.

His remarks came as he dismissed the VPP gathering as a low-turnout event and compared its attendance with the crowd he believes the NPP could mobilise.