Evansius Kek Mawlong was a veteran legislator, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Chief Minister. For Mawlong, the pursuit of politics was not a chance to make a fortune but an opportunity to serve the constituents of Umroi. Being a politician enabled him to unburden those who looked up to him for respite. The book explores Meghalaya’s formative years and the uncertain politics that witnessed twenty-two governments in twenty-five years. Amidst Mawlong’s aspirations to resolve persisting problems and his efforts to bring together the state’s regional political entities, compelling questions become apparent: Was he a victim of a conspiracy that ultimately led to the fall of his government? Did his role as a unifier of political parties pay dividends or was it a wasted opportunity? This is a tale of charming friendships as much as it is about politics’ brutishness. It’s a celebration of a man’s determined fight against injustice and above all, a tribute to a statesman who ‘walked with kings but never lost the common touch’.
