Former Nongkrem MLA blames UDP for 2018 defeat

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 19, 2021

Former Nongkrem legislator and president of newly floated Voice of the People Party (VPP) Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Friday said the pre-poll alliance forged between the HSPDP and UDP was one of the reasons behind his defeat in 2018.

Basaiawmoit, who was then president of HSPDP, was defeated by Independent legislator Lambor Malngiang by a margin of only 76 votes.

Recalling the 2018 Assembly polls, the former legislator said money power was never the reason for his defeat.

“It was wrong to conclude that my defeat was because of money power,” he told reporters.

When asked, Basaiawmoit said that the reason that led to his defeat was because of the pre-poll alliance between the HSPDP and UDP. “Unfortunately, UDP did not support me here (in Nongkrem) so I lost with just 76 votes,” he claimed.

Basaiaiwmoit said that it was also a wrong perception that his defeat in the 2018 assembly was because he was busy campaigning for UDP and HSPDP candidates.

“Because if this was the case, my supporters would have not come in thousands during the last day of the campaign,” he said. He added that in 2023 election the party will try to reach out to everyone as the party has workers everywhere and it all depends on how the party manages this time to reach out to everyone.

When asked on Nongkrem constituency, Basaiawmoit said that the preparation for 2023 assembly election is not only for Nongkrem constituency but the preparation is for the party and not just for one particular constituency hence the answer whether the party will be able to defeat the power of money votes will only be known in 2023.