SHILLONG, JAN 21: Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit-led Voice of the People Party (VPP) has got ‘Winnower’ or ‘U Prah’ in Khasi as its election symbol for the upcoming Assembly elections, slated to be held on February 27.

The symbol was unveiled by Basaiawmoit at a meeting held at Smit village on Saturday in the presence of party leaders and candidates.

As the winnower is used to separate the good from the bad, the VPP hopes to clean the political system, eradicate corruption and bring good governance in the state of Meghalaya.

“It (winnower) symbolises the stand of the party to clean the political system and the politics here in Meghalaya and to fight against corruption. We feel that it relates very much with the purpose, objective and aim of the party,” Basaiawmoit told reporters.

The former Nongkrem legislator said the reason that led to the formation of the VPP is to bring a political change and to bring a clean politics in the state of Meghalaya. “Clean politics alone is the basis of good governance. If there is good governance you will understand that everything will be in a certain place,” he asserted.

Basaiawmoit said the party was formed with a determination to go and explain to the people about the need of the hour to bring a political change and “in our effort to enlighten the people, we could witness that the people of the state also long for the change.”

Asked how his party is going to fight against the use of money power, the VPP chief however said money power is not a problem for the VPP because “we know how to fight elections without the use of money power”.

He elaborated: “For us, money is only one of the factors, it is not the only factor. Therefore, to win elections by way of buying votes through money power is not acceptable in the VPP.”

Basaiawmoit further maintained that the VPP will face the electoral battle alone. “We have made it very clear right from the start that we will go solo or alone to the electoral battle. Therefore, they understand that we are firm, whenever we decide anything we will not back out from our decision. That itself I think it makes other political parties not to approach us for any pre-poll alliances,” he said.

Altogether 16 candidates have been declared by the VPP so far. Basaiawmoit said the party will be declaring some more candidates very soon.