Shillong, March 18: Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Saturday said that his party is targeting to form the government on its own in 2028. He also slammed leaders of other regional parties for acts of betrayal, which has denied the state to get a government led by a regional force.

Basaiawmoit, the legislator of Nongkrem constituency, also claimed that the unexpected victory of the VPP is a threat to the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

Addressing at the ‘gratitude rally’ organized by the party at Polo ground, the VPP chief said, “We have been able to shape the party in such a way that it gives our people hope and we want you to know that as leaders, we don’t have any intention to gain personal benefits but our goal is to achieve our target that in 2028, the VPP will form the government on its own.”

He however said that party will not achieve this target if wrong decisions are made.

Stating that the state should have got a government led by regional parties, Basaiawmoit however said, “But you have seen what happened. We were betrayed by the other regional parties and we could not form the government. Therefore, we decided to be in the opposition.”

“We really wanted a government to be led by regional parties and we have put forth over 15 conditions but we have come down saying that as long as the NPP is kept out of power, we are ready to even give outside support but they are not ready to listen,” he said while adding “These are the same parties who claimed to have strong leaders but when interviewed by the media they said UDP has taken the lead, we just decided to follow.”

Asserting that VPP will not follow blindly, Basaiawmoit said, “The party will stick to its principles whether it is in the government or outside the government.”

MDC elections 

The VPP president further claimed that too many people have approached the party for ticket for the upcoming elections to the autonomous district councils in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region to be held next year.

He said when he was visiting the polling stations on February 27, he got phone calls from people requesting for party ticket but he told them to let the polling be completed.

“After March 2, people from different parties have approached us for ticket. There is a constituency where over 20 people have requested for party ticket. This is because of the strong VPP wave that is going on (in the region),” Basaiawmoit said.

“Therefore, we have to be wiser and I told them if you come to the VPP just to get ticket, I suggest it will be better for you not to come to the VPP as there is no guarantee that we will give you the ticket,” he said while requesting the supporters of the party to work together with the leaders.