Lok Sabha Election 2024: There is a very strong understanding between the NDA partners, affirms Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma

Meghalaya CM and NPP chief Conrad Sangma's statement comes a day after BJP extended its unconditional support to the NPP candidates in both the Shillong and Tura Lok Sabha seats.

A day after the BJP announced about its unconditional support to the NPP in Meghalaya, leaders of both the parties huddled in Shillong today to decide on the future course of action.

NPP chief and Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma chaired the all important meeting which was attended by Meghalaya BJP president Rikman G Momin, South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai and a host of other BJP leaders.

After the meeting CM Conrad Sangma highlighted that there is a strong sense of understanding among the NDA partners especially in view of the ensuing elections. The BJP leadership too had expressed similar statements saying that what matters most for the BJP is to uphold the principles of alliance.

Briefing newspersons after the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma shared details about what transpired in the meeting with the BJP leadership.

Conrad Sangma said, “There is a very strong understanding between the NDA partners specially in this elections. There has been a very good communication amongst all the NDA partners, hence there is a consensus from all the NDA partners that to the maximum extent possible, we should all try and support both the NDA candidature in every specific constituency. For example, the NDPP candidate is the NDA candidate for the Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland and therefore what should be the BJP’s stand for that, what should be the NPP’s stand, NPP has 5 MLAs there, similarly other political parties are there. So like that there is a strong move towards creating a more consensus towards support to the NDA candidate, could be sponsored by a specific political party, say in Meghalaya it happens to be NPP, in Nagaland it happens to be the NDPP, in outer Manipur it happens to be NPF, Arunachal happens to be BJP. So like that there will be a kind of movement and there is a movement towards that.

There is a very strong consensus and we are moving towards ensuring that NDA candidates are supported.”

Asked if the NPP will go ahead with a similar kind of arrangement that has been finalized in Arunachal Pradesh, Conrad Sangma said, “Wherever the NDA candidatures are there, wherever NPP has a strong base or has elected representatives we will support the NDA candidate.”

Conrad Sangma also responded to a query on whether he thinks that the NPP is in the driver’s seat keeping in mind about the elections.

The Meghalaya CM said, “I don’t ever believe that we are in the driver’s seat or I don’t like to think like that or we don’t try to be over confident in the elections. I have mentioned it every time. I don’t take anything lightly, every election is a difficult election and different election. We have to work hard in Tura also. We cannot take things for granted. Coming to the Shillong seat we are working very hard out here. We are very very thankful to all the political parties, they are extending their support to us. We are now getting support from the BJP, whether we get specific support from the TMC in Nongthymai constituency and may be outside Nongthymai constituency also there could be TMC leaders who will support the NPP. So like that we are getting support from everybody. We are thankful for that but still there is a lot of work to be done. We have to really reach out and connect to the people and campaign for our candidate. So all those works are on, let’s hope for the best.”

The NPP has fielded cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh from the Shillong seat, while incumbent MP Agatha Sanga will be once again in the fray as a NPP candidate from the Tura Lok Sabha seat.

The fight in both the seats will be a multicornered. While Ampareen Lyngdoh will face opponents like incumbent MP and Congress heavyweight Vincent Pala, RDA candidate Robert June Kharjahrin, VPP candidate Ricky A J Syngkon, in Tura Agatha Sangma will be contesting against Zenith Sangma of the TMC and Salenga A Sangma of the Congress.

COMMENTS