SHILLONG, OCT 26: Claiming that the Voice of the People Party’s (VPP) popularity has declined since the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Congress chief and former Shillong MP Vincent H Pala on Monday said the upcoming Shillong Lok Sabha bypoll will be a triangular contest between Congress, NPP and VPP.
Asked whether VPP still has its 2024 wave intact in 2026, Pala said the situation has changed.
“Personally, I feel the wave in 2024 is different than what it is now. That time the social media wave was there,” Pala said.
He claimed VPP’s support base has eroded in its core areas.
“Today you see, VPP got maximum support from Mylliem but I have been to Mylliem this time and I saw the support from Mylliem has come down drastically. They had massive support from Sohra area but today VPP has come down. They had massive support from different border areas like Pynursla, today it has come down drastically. In Jaintia Hills, VPP has come down drastically,” Pala said.
“So we don’t see VPP’s wave going up, but it is down day by day,” he added.
Pala said people will decide only after the election is announced and candidates file nominations.
“According to me, this election is going to be a triangular fight between Congress, NPP and VPP. But people will not decide until and unless election is announced or until and unless every candidate files their names,” he said.
Questioning VPP’s governance in the autonomous district councils, Pala said its functioning lacks transparency.
“Through my experience, VPP has come down drastically after people experienced that many gates are coming without transparency and without accountability and many of the Syiems are being dropped without any proper reasons. They even went to court and won the case,” Pala said.
“This shows that they cannot even administer in district council, how will you expect them to administer in Delhi as well as in the state,” he said.
Asserting that voters have become wiser, Pala added, “With that in mind, the people of Meghalaya, like I said, are not fools. You can fool them once or twice but not thrice.”
By Our Reporter
