SHILLONG, JUN 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday backed MDA’s Rajya Sabha nominee James K Sangma, saying the MP’s main job will be to push Meghalaya’s pending demands in Parliament and act as a link with the Centre.
Speaking after the nomination was filed, Sangma thanked MDA allies for their united backing.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate James Sangma for filing his nomination, and I would like to thank all the partners in the MDA for having unanimously and with consensus supported the candidature of James Sangma. Today, most partners were present during the nomination,” he said.
With nominations still open, the chief minister said the contest would be clear in a few hours but expressed confidence in MDA’s strength.
“Regarding other candidates, we are not very sure. We will have to wait for a few hours; the picture will be very clear. So, whatever it may be, we are very confident that if there is a candidature, the MDA has the necessary strength to ensure that our candidate wins in this MP Rajya Sabha election,” he said.
Sangma said the MP will need to raise both local and national issues, from welfare schemes to parliamentary debates.
“When it comes to issues, we feel that there are multiple issues that the MP should bring up. I am sure that James Sangma will successfully bring up those issues. The issues will range from everything that is socially and politically important to our people and our state, and also issues related to different schemes and government programmes. He will also actively participate in different legislation and debates in Parliament,” he said.
The CM underlined the bridging role the MP will play between the state and central government, especially on long-standing demands.
“All these will be very important responsibilities that the MP will have. We also expect that the MP will act as the bridge between the state government and the central government, where different issues that the state has to take up at the ministry level. I am sure the MP will take up the issues at different levels. It is very important to us. That is why whenever there is an opportunity, we as a government and as a party take up the matter very aggressively. Being an MP representing the MDA and Meghalaya, the MP will play a critical role in raising all the issues that we have taken up, whether it is the Eighth Schedule, Sixth Schedule, FCRA amendment, and the issue of illegal immigration, and matters like ILP, MRSSA. The MP will play a crucial role in taking up these matters at the Parliament and Government of India level,” Sangma said.
He also clarified that the absence of some MDA partners at the nomination was due to schedule changes and a bereavement, not differences within the alliance.
“There are no differences, nothing like that. Everybody has their programmes. As you are aware, the nomination was supposed to be on the 6th but it was changed. The other MDA members who were supposed to be here could not make it, and at the same time there is an incident where one of our Deputy CM’s family lost their close relatives, so there is a funeral programme. So, there is a situation where some members who were supposed to be here could not attend,” he said.
Sangma added that James Sangma’s six-year tenure would ensure stable representation for Meghalaya in the Upper House.
“The fact that he will represent our state in the Rajya Sabha, it is a six-year term, so it is clear that he will be representing the state for six years,” he said.
By Our Reporter
