Shillong, May 23: Sitting Congress MP from Shillong Lok Sabha constituency, Vincent H. Pala has maintained that he did not fight against Jemino Mawthoh as common candidate of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, but as candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and admitted that workers of other political parties have also played important role for his victory.
Pala, who retained the Shillong parliamentary seat for the third consecutive time since 2009, won with a huge margin of 1,52,433 votes.
“This (victory) is because of the fact that it is easy to unite leaders but not voters. I managed to win comfortably even in constituencies being represented by UDP legislators. The main reason is I got the trust from the people,†Pala said.
Pala polled 4,19,691 votes and Mawthoh polled 2,67,258 votes. The other candidates Sanbor Shullai of the BJP polled 76,683 votes, and three Independents – T.H.S Bonney got 6,569 votes, Romeo Phira Rani got 4,946 votes, and Samuel Hashah got 4,582 votes. 4,398 voters pressed the NOTA button.
Thanking the people of Shillong constituency for reposing their faith in the Congress, he also expressed gratitude to the party president and workers for their hard work in ensuring victory to the party.
He also admitted that workers of other political parties have also played an important role to ensure his victory.
Pala urged the people cutting across party lines to work together and consider him as their representative and assured that he would work for everybody in the constituency and the state.
With regards to poor performance of the Congress at the national level, Pala however said that people of the country usually gave two terms to every government.
“Now people have given two terms to Narendra Modi,†he said while expressing confidence that the Congress will come back to power next term.
He lauded the party candidate, and former chief minister Dr Mukul Sangma from Tura Lok Sabha constituency for willing to contest the election despite paucity of time and he gave a tough fight and secured good number of votes.
