SHILLONG, DEC 2: National People’s Party (NPP) national president and chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday said that he is yet to decide on contesting from two seats in the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections.
Speaking to journalists, Sangma said, “In terms of contesting from another constituency, I have not decided on that yet. The party also has not decided on that yet. We will see the situation how it unfolds…”
He was reacting to reports alleging that he would also be contesting from Selsella constituency.
The NPP chief also maintained that there is no question of him leaving his home constituency – South Tura and said, “I will not be contesting from two constituencies as right now I am only contesting from South Tura constituency. I am very clear in that and I have full faith in my constituency. I have worked very hard in my constituency and I have built up so there is no question of me leaving my constituency as such.”
When asked, Conrad said that the party will see how the situation unfolds before the election and reiterated by saying, “As I said my primary constituency which is South Tura is the constituency as of now and at the moment I intend to contest and I will contest for sure.”
Meanwhile, Conrad K Sangma has categorically denied that the resignations of the two party legislators as members of the Assembly to join the BJP, was a setback to the party.
According to him, the assessment report of the party had in fact indicated that the position of the two former legislators – Ferlin CA Sangma (Selsella) and Benedic Marak (Raksamgre) – and some others were not strong.
“No, it is not at all (a setback). As I said these constituencies and a few other constituencies where we have done our assessments and we have found that the positions are not strong of the certain incumbent MLAs and therefore, we had discussions in the party and then those MLAs decided to leave…,” Sangma told reporters.
He informed that the party already has candidates in these constituencies – where the chances of sitting MLAs coming back are less – and they are working very hard.
“As I said it is a mutual thing, it is not a setback, it is part of politics and we already knew that this is going to happen about 4-5 months back,” he added.
On November 28, Ferlin CA Sangma and Benedic Marak along with one AITC legislator from Mawsynram Himalaya Shangpliang had resigned as members of the 11th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly reducing its strength to 57. All the three are all set to join the BJP in New Delhi this month.
When asked, the NPP chief said resignation as members of the Assembly was a very conscious decision taken by them.
“…this was also after a detailed study that the party has done at its own level in regards to the current positions in their constituencies and based on that it was more or less kind of a mutual kind of a stand and they have decided to go to another political party which is fine because they have the right to choose it is a democratic process and I have nothing to say against them and I wish them the very best,” he stated.
The chief minister further assured that the party will retain the Selsella and Raksamgre seats in 2023.
By Our Reporter
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