2 sisters –Ampareen & Jasmine Lyngdoh first to file nominations for Meghalaya polls, bats for development, women empowerment

Ampareen Lyngdoh, the longest serving woman legislator and a former Meghalaya minister and her younger sister Jasmine were the first to file their nomination papers today for the upcoming Meghalaya polls to be held on February 27.

Ampareen Lyngdoh, the 58-year-old former Congress veteran, will be contesting from her home turf East Shillong, and her younger sister Jasmine Lyngdoh will be contesting from the Nongthymmai constituency. While Jasmine is a first timer, Ampareen is the sitting MLA of East Shillong. She has won the seat three times in 2008, 2013 and 2018.

Soon after filing their nominations, both the sisters spoke to newspersons about their agenda and poll prospects.

When asked why she chose to contest from NPP, Ampareen said, “I feel the ideology of the NPP is close to the Congress, it is not a communal party, it believes in inclusive politics, it is a party which believes in grass root politics. And this way I follow in the same footsteps that I always have been coached and trained over the years.”

When asked how will she fight anti-incumbency, Ampareen Lyngdoh believes that it will not be a factor for her. Backing her statement, Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “I will not use the word anti-incumbency because I feel that I have won 4 previous elections and I have served my people, there is a high probability that my support will expand and will reach more people.”

While speaking on her agenda for the elections, Ampareen Lyngdoh said,”My principle as a legislator is to involve grassroot involved decisions taken, involve the people, listen to what they say sort out them, prepare policies and programs and prepare everything else as per needs of the people.”

Jasmine Lyngdoh spoke about women empowerment citing her sister Ampareen as a good example of that in the state. Jasmine said, “My sister is a very good example of how women can succeed… If women have not got a chance, we contesting elections will give them an oppurtunity…. Because women are multi tasker and they can do multiple things.”

On filling the nomination papers first, Ampareen said that they were following their family tradition. Referring to their father, Late Peter G Marbaniang and elder brother Late RG Lyngdoh, Ampareen said it has been a tradition for them to file the election papers first. Peter Marbaniang was Lok Sabha MP from 1989 to 1996, Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly and a Minister in the Government of Meghalaya. RG Lyngdoh was a popular politician and Meghalaya’s home and education minister.

Ampareen is pitched against 41-year-old Manuel Baduwar from Congress in the East Shillong seat. The battle is definitely going to be tough for Jasmine who is up against Meghalaya political heavy weights — TMC president and political veteran of the state, Charles Pyngrope and Jemino Mawtoh of UDP. Pyngrope is the sitting MLA of Nongthymmai.