Shillong, Feb 17: It has been 31 years since Meghalaya attained statehood, but as the state gets ready for the seventh round of Assembly elections, it has nothing to show except for a long list of scams and controversies, empty coffers, a moribund tourism industry and an education system that has seen better days.
As many as 14 parties are vying for the 60 Assembly seats at stake, but none of these seem to inspire confidence in the state’s 12,79,740-strong electorate. Though the composition of the electorate has not changed much over the years, political instability — the past five years saw power changing hands six times — has made the voters cynical about politicians in general.
Analysts feel the mandate this time will be a fractured one. A survey to ascertain which way votes would swing was undertaken between November and February. It was a difficult exercise considering the fact that most people, especially in the rural areas, are still ignorant about political parties. Except for a few symbols, voters are more familiar with the politicians than the parties they are members of.
Most politicians would like to believe that the majority of rural voters are not bothered about issues like the Calcutta Meghalaya House controversy or the online lottery deal. But the truth is that even people living in obscure hamlets in the South Garo Hills know that the previous government fell following “gorber (problem)” and the present one is neck deep in similar trouble.
Given the situation, it is safe to assume that Independent candidates will be victorious in several constituencies. Researchers say at least 10 Independents may win this time. Some political observers believe the stage is set for the return of single-party rule, but statistics indicate otherwise. According to research based on recent electoral records, the Congress will again be the single-largest party but fall short of the figure of 31 required to form a government.