008 which was short lived, saw the taking over of an opposition combine of National Congress Party and the regional United Democratic Party, under the leadership of Don Kupar Roy on March 19. However, D.D.Lapang managed to come back on May 13, after President’s rule was revoked. There was however, a tussle for leadership within the Congress party, finally leading in the formation of a coalition, under the leadership of Mukul Sangma, who was backed up by the All India Congress Committee, denying further change of leadership.

These were turbulent years, as the state suffered from underdevelopment as well as, the emergence of various scams which rocked the state. Though some policies were declared by the government, yet most of these new polices were marked with controversies, specially the mining policy. Mukul Sangma, however, managed to salvage in certain areas with patch works and speeding up of developmental projects, including the Shillong-bypass and the extension of four lanes in the Guwahati-Shillong national highway.

It is however for the electorate to give a final judgment while electing their representative in the ensuing elections. The election scene is however still hazy and speculations loom large that the specter of 2008, would return back once again in the political scenario and the formation of a new government. Though many parties, including the Congress, the new entrant National Peoples Party (NPP) of supremo Purno Sangma and the biggest regional party United Democratic Front, have all made tall claims that they would secure a single party win, doubts however remain, that such claims would not prove to be correct.

The election mood is on a low key, as the overall campaign has not gained momentum. The redrawing of many constituencies and also giving them a new nomenclature, has added to the confusion of contesting candidates and also the voters. These changes have not only become irritants to the election process as a whole, but have also been a disturbing factor of the areas and location of polling stations.

The present elections do not also have clear issues of the political parties and independence, in which the voter’s can determine their choice of their candidates. The people in general, however, would prefer a functioning government, where corruption and instability is removed. Yet, on such important issues, there is no clear commitment of either the contesting political parties nor the independent candidates, though the movement for clean politics and governance, has been initiated specially by Ardent Basaiawmoit, the present representative from the Nongkrem constituency, and also by prominent women’s organizations who have raised the clarion call against the use of money and muscle power.

Mood in Town Team Eastern Panorama, conducted a survey on the upcoming elections in the state of Meghalaya. Survey was conducted in Shillong with 295 people. Here are the results of the survey. People representing various segments of life such as bankers, accountants, students, engineers, teachers, public servants, hoteliers, housewives, marketing executives, sales executives....etc.

Will you vote in this election? Yes : 95%    No : 5% Happy with MUA** government? Yes : 8% No : 85%   NO ANSWER : 7% ** MUA : Meghalaya united alliance

RESPONDENTS from sectors such as Banks, business, service, engineers, traders, government service, hotel, sales, house wife, marketing, students. Age Group Age group       No.of people 18-20...............28   21-30...............164 31-40...............49   41-50...............27   51-60...............27 All figures in Percentage have been rounded of to nearest decimal. Youth population has been considered upto the age of 30.

Some of the veterans like Friday Lyngdoh the Pradesh Congress chief, J.D.Rymbai former chief minister have declared to sit back and watch, yet the number of aspirants in the current elections have increased considerably. Many of the aspirants specially of the Congress, had been denied tickets for contesting, which had brought about an element of rebellion within the party, and those having failed to secure party tickets, have declared to openly contest against official party candidates, as independents. One such aspirant, Saleng Sangma, minister for Community and Rural Development, greatly feels that he has been let down by the Congress and feel that they have been betrayed. Other sitting Congress legislators feel the same way, including Samuel Sangma, Abdus Saleh, Stanley Wiss Rymbai, Nehlang Lyngdoh and others. In such a situation, the prospects of the ruling party would not be up to expectations. This political upheaval within the political arties, would certainly add to many uncertainties.

Would the scene of the last five years be repeated? The election scene is however still hazy and speculations loom large that the specter of 2008, would return back once again in the political scenario.

There would therefore, be a rise in contesting independent candidates, specially that the Trinamool Congress candidates, would be contesting as independents following the party’s decision not to enter the fray as a party, as the Trinamool would be busy in Panchayat elections in West Bengal. There are as many as 13 Trinamool candidates to be contesting as independents. The overall bulk of contesting independents would therefore change the pattern of voting in many of the constituencies and also their subsequent involvement in the government formation, in deciding the fate of the new government.

For the first time in the electoral history of the state, family candidates have emerged, involving the father, mother, their siblings are being ropes in contesting the elections, with the chief minister himself contesting from Ampati would also see his wife contesting from Mahendra-ganj. The chief minister’s younger brother Zenith Sangma is being propped up from Rangsangkhona. So it is all in the family. Notably, the two sons of Purno.A.Sangma, Conrad and James would also attempt to make a come back with tickets of the National Peoples Party. The prominent independent legislator Don Kupar Massar is placing his wife Grace Kharpuri from Shella constituency to face former chief minister Don Kupar Roy. There are many more family contestants, including the Speaker of the state legislative assembly Charles Pyngrope’s son David Nongrum who would be contesting as an independent from Mawryngkneng constituency, all being on the dynastic ruling lineage of the traditional Khasi democratic system of governance.

People who were happy with the MUA government’s performance, rank **SPTS as its main achievement followed by the BY PASS project and a close third PEACE in the state
65% were YOUTHS in the survey. Out of which 90% are not happy with MUA.18%  are HAPPY with MUKUL
Performance Rating of MUA 16% Above Average                        47%  Average 37% Below Average		Regionalism is facing a s  et back as there is a 50-50 voting for the choice of a National Party member or a Regional Party member for the post of Chief Minister in  the state.

For the first time in the electoral history of the state, family candidates have emerged, involving the father, mother, their siblings are contesting the elections

The youth and women factor, would however play an important role in the hustings, the Congress alone filing as many as six women candidates, which the party has claimed to be winnable candidates. Notably among them is sitting Ampareen Lyngdoh, Roshan Warjri, Deborah Marak, Dikkanchi D.Shira. Other parties, including the UDP has put up prominent women candidate including Ibanrilang Kharsati, being a founder headmistress of a prominent educational institution. Many of the women candidates are highly educational qualified personalities.

The youth power is also to be reckoned with, both as candidates and voters being about 10 Lakhs, having a fresh and new outlook, as how best the state can look forward, in bringing about a change in the different perspective of serving the interests of the people and pulling put Meghalaya from the mire of indifference, incompetency and lackadaisical attitude of the leadership.

51% of the population feel that there is no change coming in the new election as they feel it’s the same wine in a new bottle
Though the MUA a government have not found much appreicators, however 69% feel Congress will give a better government followed by 16% feel UDP will do the job. Most notable is NPP, the newly floated party of P. A. Sangma secured only 2% votes.
Popularity of leaders in the Capital City of Shillong?		Sonia Gandhi is the most popular national leader in the state followed by Vincent Pala and Anna Hazare. However there were very few takers for Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi
Mukul Sangma    -    28% D.D. Lapang       -    21%	Paul Lyngdoh       -        11% Conrad Sangma    -        10% Bindo Lanong       -        5% P.A. Sangma        -    5%
Somewhere or something, has gone drastically wrong for Mukul Sangma. Has he is the most popular among the leaders in Meghalaya? However 85% of the total people surveyed were not happy with his government.