The “indefatigable” challenger is back. It will be his first parliamentary election after having fought five elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and six to the Meghalaya Assembly.

Meet Romeo Phira Rani, 51, who has contested 11 elections so far since 1994, but could not win any.

The most famous electoral challenger in India has been K. Padmarajan who hails from Tamil Nadu. He contested 178 elections.

Rani, a resident of Laitumkhrah, contested his first election in 1994 to the KHADC as a candidate of the Public Demands Implementation Convention (PDIC) when he was around 25. His last election was the Meghalaya Assembly polls in 2018.

His constituency has always been East Shillong, formerly known as Laitumkhrah, in the heart of the Meghalaya capital.

Apart from the PDIC, Rani was also associated with the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the BJP. However for the April 11 Lok Sabha polls, he will contest as an Independent candidate as he “no longer has faith in any political party”.

When this correspondent met Rani, he was sitting at his office at a time when the power regulation (load-shedding) promulgated by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd was still on.

On one of the walls hung a banner proclaiming him as an Independent candidate. There were loudspeakers, to be used for campaigning.

Talking about his political journey, Rani said he had grown up when stalwarts such as Radhon Sing Lyngdoh, George Gilbert Swell, Martin Narayan Majaw and many others dominated the political arena.

“I am in politics for 36 years and have contested five elections to the KHADC and six to the Meghalaya Assembly,” he said.

When asked why he has never won any election, the Independent candidate was candid. “The people of Laitumkhrah still hold the family of late Peter G. Marbaniang in high esteem as he had done a lot for them. People say they love me, but they love Marbaniang’s family more. Hence, it has been difficult for me to win.”

The incumbent legislator of East Shillong, M. Ampareen Lyngdoh, is Marbaniang’s daughter.

In last year’s Assembly polls, Ampareen had won by a thumping majority while Rani secured 221 votes.

He did not contest in this year’s autonomous district council election. “I was busy preparing for the Lok Sabha polls, hence I did not contest. I have been preparing for the last three years,” he added.

Rani said that he never regretted losing elections. “I am glad people did not elect me when I was young. Now I am mature and want to serve them,” he said.

He said he had toured nearly all villages in Jaintia hills, West Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts for door-to-door campaigning. He said he would not spend much time in East Khasi Hills district as people already “know me”. “I prefer going from house to house rather than hold public meetings,” he said.

The Shillong parliamentary seat comprises 36 Assembly segments. For the Lok Sabha poll, a diamond is his symbol. “People, especially the poor, tell me that they want to see brighter days and a diamond will light up their lives.” If he wins, Rani sees himself as a father figure for those students and young people living outside especially in Delhi and would work hard to uplift the rural areas.

But what if the people are still reluctant to give him a chance? “As long as I am healthy, I will continue to contest polls not because it is a hobby, but because I really want to serve the people,” Rani said.

“I feel that one day I will get that chance. We only need to have the determination and patience,” Rani said.