PDF welcomes Syiem as its leader, CM candidate

SHILLONG, DEC 19: The newly floated People Democratic Front (PDF) today declared former Congress legislator Pynshngain N Syiem as its leader and chief ministerial candidate to lead the new government to be formed after the 2018 state Assembly elections.

The announcement was made during the first public rally organized by the PDF to welcome the official joining of Syiem, who is also leading the Khasi Hills Autonomous District as its chief executive member, held at Polo Ground here in the city on Tuesday.

This was after the member from Mawsynram constituency resigned from his seat in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and also as member of the ruling Congress, a party which had suspended him for 3-years for openly rebelling against chief minister Mukul Sangma.

Apart from being a chief ministerial candidate, Syiem was also appointed as the chairman of the People Democratic Front (PDF) to work out strategies that will guide the party towards achieving the goals in the upcoming Assembly polls.

The PDF so far have announced as many as 22 candidates who will be contesting from the Assembly seats (36) in Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.

Addressing the rally attended by thousands of supporters from across the state, Syiem said the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA-II) has miserably failed despite adopting all kinds of “political tricks” to bring him down along with the ruling PDF in the KHADC.

“My fight with the Congress can be referred to a football match – the MUA football club versus PDF football club. They have adopted all kinds of tricks and yet they fail in their attempts because it has been defeated by the PDF team,” he said.

He was referring to the “hurried” passing of the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) (Amendment) Act, 2015 which he says was designed to destroy his political carreer.

It may be mentioned out of eight, seven MLAs from different political parties were forced to resigned as members of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) due to fear of disqualification.

Syiem however was the lone legislator who fails to obey the diktats of the government by continuing as a member of district council till it yielded positive result when the Meghalaya High Court disposed of a PIL seeking disqualification of MLAs holding the post of MDCs based on the Governor’s order which ruled out that “MDC is not an office of profit”.

After the Act fails, the Congress then came up with a decision to put him under suspension, which ultimately backfired at the party when as many as six MDCs resigned in protest of the same, he said while claiming that PDF is equipped with strong deputy commanders.

He also came down heavily the ruling Congress after its Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2005 was also declared invalid by the Meghalaya High Court leading to the resignation of 17 parliamentary secretaries.

“All these have only reflected the inefficiency and incompetency of the Congress party,” Syiem said.

He also lamented that under the Congress rule there is lack of laws and policies that have led to unemployment problems, no protection for farmers, besides many problems confronting the state go unresolved till today.

Also slamming the different political parties for their alleged failures, Syiem said, “Many MDCs including HSPDP leader Ardent M Basaiawmoit have resigned when the anti-daul post Act was passed due to little understanding and yet these same people want to make laws for the state.”

Urging the people to make wise decision in the upcoming 2018 elections in line with the PDF’s motto “If not now, then when”, the resigned MLA of Mawsynram assured that the PDF will offer laws and policies to protect the people of the state instead of money if voted to power.

“Our main objective is to come up with clear cut laws and policies that will suit the needs and protect the interests of the indigenous people of the state,” he said while reminding that the PDF was formed after the state witnessed turbulences in its journey under the Congress rule.

Stating that the year 2018 will determine the future of the state, Syiem said the objective to bring a change and a better Meghalaya can only be achieved if the people of the state extend their united support to the PDF.

He also alleged that along with ruling Congress, the other regional political parties like the Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP) and United Democratic Party (UDP) have also failed miserably as they were in their slumber for the past many years.

“However, the PDF despite being a new party will ensure the state see new hope for a bright future,” he added.

The PDF also released its 16-point agendas highlighting the party top priorities which include bringing a corruption-free government, to strengthen the provisions of the Sixth Scheduled to the Indian Constitution and laws to protect traditional headmen.

The party also seeks to come up with laws to protect the rights of the farmers, daily wage earners, addressing the unemployment problems by ensuring a transparent job recruitment policy, and others.

The PDF also assured laws to protect the rights and safety of women and children in the state besides giving special attention to persons with disabilities. However, the party fails to spell out its stand on how to deal with the problem of influx and illegal immigration into the state.

Meanwhile, the 22 candidates of the party which includes two women – sitting MDC Grace Mary Kharpuri and Sarita Lyngdoh, wife of former minister Founder S Cajee, were also introduced to the people during the rally.

By Our Reporter