Chief minister D D Lapang appealed to the public to take the defeat of Indian Idol contestant and Shillong lad Amit Paul in a sporting spirit, saying Paul had tried his best and was still the pride of Shillong. He congratulated Prashant Tamang, who went on to win the reality show.Lapang said the people of Meghalaya tried their best and must be magnanimous enough to accept the result. As Meghalaya was a small state compared to West Bengal, there was not enough SMS support for the Shillong boy, although he was “very talented”, the CM said. He reminded the state that the show was not merit-based as the winner was chosen by the SMSes he could garner. He appealed to the organisers to think again on this aspect of the contest.But there was heartbreak across the state. An ardent Amit fan broke down when she heard of the defeat. “How can that be, he is the best among all contestants?” she asked. As the news of Amit Paul’s defeat spread, the administration tightened security in vulnerable areas of Shillong city. East Khasi Hills SP A Mawthoh said the police were prepared to deal with any law and order situation. East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner B Dhar said in a democratic set up the decision of the majority must be accepted even if it is not correct sometimes. “The present format of SMS voting is wrong. Once the contest reaches the top five contestants then the judgment should be left to the judges,” the DC suggested.Shillong Arts Music Lovers Forum (SAMLF) Chairman J L Das said: “Amit may not be an Indian Idol, but he is the idol in the hearts of the Meghalayans and the entire North East.”
