Was Adelbert Nongrum a pawn of a Chess Master or Victim of his own Circumstances?

 Shillong, April 05, 2025: The year 2023 saw a political jerk in the state of Meghalaya with the sitting MLA of North Shillong Constituency joining a new political party, the Voice of the People Party (VPP). The 16th of January 2023 brewed the air with hope for the present and a dream of a better future. When VPP contested the elections, Adelbert Nongrum was the only sitting MLA to contest, while the Party’s President, Ardent Basaiawmoit, came as a defeated candidate of the 2018 Assembly Elections, and the others were fresh faces. 

After Nongrum’s exodus from the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) in 2022 following disputes within the party, Nongrum was a highly valued free agent who could’ve joined any political party but declined as most of them conflicted with his principles.

Through the years, Adelbert Nongrum has been very adamant in his stance about the Reservation Policy, particularly the academic reservations. The lob-sided weightage between the tribal students was something that the Khasi population have compromised for over fifty years. In his public statements since 2022, it was clear that before joining the party, the North Shillong MLA had reached a negotiation with the VPP based on the Reservation Policy, which “at first they did not agree with but after two weeks, they concur,” Nongrum stated. Both parties then shook hands, and thus, Adelbert Nongrum’s VPP journey began. 

After winning four seats, the people’s emotions were high with hopes. The party’s president, Ardent Basaiawmoit, took the demand for Reservation seriously. He went a step further to demand a revamp in the Reservation Policy through a solo hunger strike at the parking space of the Additional Secretariat.

The newly demanded Reservation Policy, however, did not reflect on the negotiations the party made with Adelbert Nongrum when the Party when they welcomed him onboard. It rather focused on job reservation alone, neglecting the academic reservation on purpose.  The twist in the story was that the VPP sought a reservation based on the demographic of the population of Meghalaya. On this, the VPP’s president was staunch. While addressing the crowd during a protest at the parking space of the Additional Secretariat, Ardent Basaiawmoit proposed to the Government of Meghalaya to halt all recruitments as the retrospective Roster was in motion, but three weeks thence, he withdrew. While addressing the public at Jaiaw in 2023, Basaiawmoit also announced seeking reservations for PWDs (Persons With Disabilities) and EWS or Economically Weaker Section. Basaiawmoit’s explanation of the EWS was in contrast to what it signified. (link to the Video is attached). In contrast to what was being propagated by Basaiawmoit, “Economically Weaker Section” (EWS) refers to individuals from the general (unreserved) category who have a family income below a certain limit (currently ₹8 lakh per year). They cannot belong to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories. Does this demand mean that the VPP was seeking for the reservation of the general non-tribals in our state?  It was shocking. It was in contrast with the principles the Voice of the People Party claimed to uphold; who championed to fight for the rights of the tribals, particularly Khasis. At first, it was assumed that it was a mistake, but it became quite difficult to judge the intentions whether the President of VPP had made a mistake or it was intentional as he has been silent to address the same for the last two years.
Link attached:

Nongrum has since moved through a Private Member’s Bill in the Assembly on Academic Quota that did not receive the support of the other three VPP MLAs from Nongkrem, Mawlai, and Mawryngkneng when the Bill was moved. He has also pointed out the Office Memorandum passed that focused only on Job reservations while leaving out Academic Reservations. His focus was more on Khasi students missing out on quota despite securing higher grades than the other tribes.

Adelbert Nongrum’s expulsion from the party: 
Nongrum has raised his concerns over the way party tickets have been issued to certain individuals – Denzil Chen from Jaiaw Constuituency and Strongpillar Kharjana from Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah Constuituency as it violates the canons of the Party’s Constitution.

“Article V: Parliamentary Board, Legislature Party and Election Committee (VPP CONSTITUTION)
. . . 
3. Election Committee: 

i) The State Executive Committee shall constitute a State Election Committee for matters connected 
With elections to Parliament, State assembly, and District Councils. 

ii) The District Executive Committee shall constitute a District Election Committee.  

iii)  The Circle shall forward names of all the candidates to the District Election Committee and the Election Committee of the District shall forward all the names of such candidates with its recommendations of the State Election Committee.

iv) The State Election Committee shall be the final authority in the selection of candidates for elections to Parliament, State Assembly, and District Councils. 

Nongrum stressed on the third point, and argued with the selection of the Party that if the names are to be recommended from the Circle to the District Committee and then to the State Election Committee, then how is it possible for Denzil Chen to be given the Jaiaw Constituency Party ticket when the circle did not recommended his name. The name recommended was of Strong Pillar Kharjana for Jaiaw Constituency, but he was given the Mawkhar-Pynthorumkhrah Constituency ticket. Nongrum questioned whether the transfer for Kharjana’s candidature was on purpose to pave the way for Chen.

Despite the indifferences, Adelbert is still clinging to make amends as he had promised the people who chose him to lead righteously. In the past, the Party’s higher-ups constantly professed on democracy and the healthy debates they were open to have within the party to allow space for good governance. Ironically, on the 24th of March 2025, Adelbert Nongrum and four others were suspended from the Voice of the People Party by the Vice President of the party, Dr. Kara Chen, for three years. The Vice President stated, “Party has carefully examined your responses. However, instead of addressing the concerns raised, your replies were defensive, confrontational, and devoid of any acknowledgment of wrongdoing or remorse. The party finds your explanations unsatisfactory and unacceptable.” The tension between the two parties boiled from the favoritism in issuing party tickets. Many have argued that, in most cases, it is always the president of the party who suspends their party workers and MLAs, but in this case, it is the vice president. Was it a personal move? 

Is it enough to deem a member anti-party for raising questions on the party’s integrity towards their constitution?

The story that unfolded is a sad political story to tell, but it is only the tip of the iceberg. What’s boiling in the shadows is unknown to the naked eye and perception of the common man. Only time will tell what the future unfolds. Was the North Shillong fiasco a brilliant plot masterminded to perfection to set up the stage for 2028, or did Adelbert Nongrum act irresponsibly just before the MDC Elections?

Comment below to share your views and opinions.

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