Meghalaya: Will Ampareen Lyngdoh be NPP’s candidate for Shillong LS seat?

Meghalaya NPP president Prestone Tynsong has called a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) evening to decide on the names of candidates.

Even as the National People’s Party (NPP), the national party from Meghalaya, is yet to officially announce the name of its candidate for the Shillong seat for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, reports are suggesting that Ampareen Lyngdoh, Health Minister in the Conrad Sangma Cabinet, could be picked by the party to contest the Parliament polls scheduled to be held by March-April next year.

Four-time MLA, Lyngdoh is being seen as the strongest contender even though the name of former BJP leader and Mawsynram MLA and now NPP politician HM Shangpliang is also doing the rounds.

Buzz also is that Meghalaya TMC Vice President and former Umroi legislator George B Lyngdoh would resign from TMC and contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on NPP ticket from Shillong.

Meghalaya NPP president Prestone Tynsong has called for a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) evening to discuss the candidature, party sources said.

Asked if Ampareen Lyndoh is likely to be NPP’s candidate for Shillong seat, Education Minister and NPP leader Rakkam A Sangma told Northeast Live, “I don’t know, but if she (Ampareen Lyngdoh) contests it will be nothing better than that. I would love to see her contest. If she contests, then she will be one of the best choice for Shillong. I don’t know what our party will decide, but it is my desire that we should have a candidate of her stature to represent Shillong”.

Although NPP lost the LS elections in Shillong last time in 2019, the leadership of the party is quite hopeful that things will take a turn for the better for the party in the ensuing elections.

Rakkam A Sangma in this context said, “Whoever may be the NPP candidate from Shillong, we are sure that NPP will make things happen this time. I am sure that the voters of the Shillong LS seat will not make a mistake, because it is a prestigious seat. Shillong will send the most fit parliamentarian to the Parliament in 2024. In a few days from now, our top party leaders will announce the candidates, that will surprise everybody and Shillong will love it.”

However, rumours persist about alleged discontent within the NPP over choosing the candidate for the Shillong seat. But this has been ruled out by party national president and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

On November 16, CM Sangma had said that there is no unhappiness within the party over the ticket issue.
Talking to media regarding the rumours, CM Conrad Sangma said, “I would not call it unhappiness, I would rather describe it as people’s emotional attachment to particular things, such as their leaders or the person they support. There is nothing wrong in it, and we respect their feelings and support them.”

Read also: Meghalaya: Who will be NPP’s candidate for Shillong Lok Sabha seat in 2024?

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