Former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday dubbed the Conrad K Sangma-led MDA government as “incompetent”.
Sanga, who is also the leader of Opposition, exuded confidence that the people of Shella constituency will elect Congress candidate Batyngshaiñ Ryngnga in the bypolls because leaders and parties associated with the present government are indulging in hollow promises.
Sangma told reporters that under the present MDA government, there has been sudden fall of development and even people from other parties have admitted that development process in the state has come to a standstill.
“Contractors have stopped their works because their dues have not released. Even for centrally sponsored schemes, they have not been able to submit utilization certificates against the money released by the Central government,” he said.
Terming the MDA as the most ‘incompetent’ government led by an ‘incompetent’ chief minister, he said, “People now are saying we have a facebook chief minister, who led an incompetent government. This is the narrative of the common people and not my version.”
The bye election in the Shella constituency was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA and former speaker Donkupar Roy on July 28.
Roy, who was the president of the United Democratic Party (UDP), had represented Shella for 31 years as he won seven consecutive Assembly elections since 1988.
Whether Shella constituency is a stronghold of the UDP, the former chief minister said, “Shella is not a stronghold of the UDP. The Congress is getting good response because of the brand – what we promised, we delivered.”
“People want the momentum of development that has been witnessed in the preceding years and the benchmark that has been set in respect of the quantum of investment for diverse developmental initiatives.
“But now there has been sudden fall of development in the state. This is the concern of the people and based on this, these are issues which are being part of the political discourse in this bye election,” Sangma said.
On late Donkupar Roy’s role in Shella constituency, Sangma said, “Roy got long innings and opportunities since 1988. But if you visit the constituency and look at the privileges and opportunities that he had been vested with to be able to response to the expectations and aspirations of the people, I feel that the people have reasons to grumble,” he said.
On lack of development in Shella constituency, Sangma said that there has been a perceived feeling among the electorates that there has been no inclusive approach for development, but imbalance development across the constituency.
“The people are now looking at a new beginning. The new beginning should be with a party and a candidate who belongs to a team which is seen to be responsive collectively.
“In a democracy, we always talk about collective responsibility to fulfill the expectations and aspirations of the people,” said the former chief minister.
“I must again reassert our commitment that whatever we commit, we do not engage in hollow promises. But leaders and parties associated with the present government have been indulging in hollow promises,” he alleged.