22 Jan 2013

The father-daughter duo Pynshai Manik Syiem and Teilinia Thangkhiew are going to create a record of sorts -both are going to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from two different constituencies.

Syiem would contest from the newly created Mawphlang constituency while Thangkhiew would contest from Mylliem, from where her father had contested in the past.

Announcing this at a press conference here on Monday, the father-daughter duo, contesting as independents, vowed to fight against use of money power “which is rampant across the State”.

This would be the first time that a father and daughter duo would contest the State poll. “We would try to educate voters not to get influenced by those who try to buy their votes,” Thangkhiew said.

Syiem said he lost the last election because money played a big role in the outcome of the result. “This time I am alert. My supporters are not going to get influences by those who would pump in money to buy their votes,” the former Mylliem legislator said.

Referring to his decision to associate himself with the NCP, Syiem said it was a big mistake on his part. “I initially thought the NCP has a democratic set up.

But after being inside the party, I realised that this party is also being dictated by one single person,” he said adding that his decision to contest from the NCP also contributed to his defeat in the last Assembly election since the people in Khasi and Jaintia Hills consider the NCP as a “Garo party’.

Meanwhile, Thangkhiew said that being a woman she would highlight issue of ensuring safety and security of women during her campaign Replying to a query, Thangkhiew said there would always be positive and negative sides if you are contesting from the constituency which was represented by her father.

“In fact advantage for me is that my father had done many good things for the constituency,” she said.