SHILLONG, AUG 24: The National People’s Party (NPP) will soon set up the state election committee (SEC) to prepare the party from all the 60 seats in Khasi-Jaintia and Garo Hills region for the upcoming assembly elections, to be held next year.
At the same time, the party is also still working on towards forging a pre-poll alliance with like-minded political parties to ensure a non-Congress government is formed in 2018.
“We have already started preparing for the elections and we are in the process of setting up the State Election Committee which should be up in a week or ten days time,” NPP national president and Tura MP Conrad K Sangma told reporters here on Thursday.
He said that the SEC once it is formed will immediately start the process of calling candidates for filing of application for their candidatures and also assessing the entire political situation in the state.
“The SEC will take a call when they will ask for the applications as there is a process to be followed, whoever is keen to contest will apply for the ticket and this will be subjected for screening. It will take sometimes (for finalizing the list),” he said.
The NPP chief further informed that the party is proposing to field candidates for the upcoming elections from all the 60 assembly seats even as he indicated that his younger sister Agatha Sangma, a former Lok Sabha MP, may also join the fray.
He however maintained that he will not be contesting in the upcoming elections as people have given him the mandate to be a member of parliament.
“Whatever MLAs, leadership at state decide will be the final decision. Right now people decision is an MP and I am trying my best to do my role and responsibility towards my constituency and the NE region,” he said.
Sangma said from the organizational level there has been pressure that we should contest from all 60 seats and the party is preparing in that manner but in the end, it is for the SEC to decide on the matter.
He however added, “We have to see the feasibility part of it where we can give a good fight and we also have to see what is the kind of understanding is developing with other political parties.”
Further, Sangma said that the state election committee will also look into the aspect of forging a pre-poll alliance with other political parties.
According to him, the party has always been keen to work with like minded parties but to have pre-poll alliance is always tough as every political party would like to build their own organization and sometimes it is not easy to compromise on those things.
“We are trying to work on the pre-poll alliance, it may happen or it may not happen, it is difficult to say right now,” he said while maintaining that after elections, there will be definitely be an understanding for post-poll alliance.
On the other hand, he however said that they are organizing the party at the grassroot level and is confident to get a good response from the people this time.
“The people are looking for a change as they are quite tired seeing the mis-governance and financial break down of the system,” he added.
Asked, the NPP chief categorically denied that the two former ministers of the ruling Congress-led state government – Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar and others are joining the party but claimed that the party is in touch with many sitting legislators.
“There is nothing like as of now (in regards to Tynsong and Dhar). We are meeting people and there is nothing to hide the fact that we are meeting individuals and it is not necessarily to meet regarding joining or not joining the NPP but it is regarding issues related to the state and political scenario,” he said.
He said it is not denying the fact that people are in touch with the party adding everybody is in touch with everybody during elections and it is a natural process.
With regards to the recent resignation of senior party leader from Jaintia Hills ECB Bamon, a former minister and legislator, Sangma said that the party will be setting up of a candidate from Mookaiaw constituency.
“Bamon is respected leader and we are emotionally attached to him during my father’s time so we feel bad that he has to leave the party. It is a personal decision of his for whatever reason. We have no hard feelings but I assure that the party is setting up candidate from the area,” he added.
By Our Reporter
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