Shillong, March 18: Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Saturday said the performance of his party came as a huge surprise to many and dented the National People’s Party’s (NPP) chances of securing an absolute majority in the recently concluded State Assembly Polls.

The VPP won four seats in the 59-member House, elections for which were held on February 27 and results declared on March 2.

“Many have predicted that the VPP will win only 1 seat but we have won 4 seats. We lost by a very thin margin in Mylliem constituency and the people there have admitted that they were not really in favour of the Congress but they voted for the party just because they want to ensure the NPP is defeated,” he said.

Praising his party for defeating money power, Basaiawmoit said this was our first victory where big business tycoons were defeated by the candidates of the party.

“Even the single largest party, which has got the opportunity to again lead the government in the state was forced to admit that it was badly affected by ‘Prah’ in the just concluded elections,” he said.

He continued, “Had the VPP not contested the elections, the NPP would have formed the government on its own but fortunately God was on our side and we were able to make people understand against money power.”

VPP recognised as State party

He also informed that the VPP has been recognized as a state party because its vote share has increased so much after the election.

Further, the VPP president said the party managed to do away with the narrative that Khasi people vote for the individual and not the party.

“That is why we say politics in Meghalaya is difficult because it is personality centric not party centric. We went to people and said that it is wrong as the individual and the party are like two sides of the same coin. Therefore, there is need to look at the individual as well as the party. Due to this, people were surprised when VPP candidates won from Mawryngkneng, Mawlai. In Nongthymmai and Mawphlang, we did not even have a polling agent but we got the support of over 4000 and 5000 people,” he said while claiming that people are now demanding for ‘Prah’ in almost all the constituencies.