NPP resolves to contest LS polls from all 25 seats in NE

SHILLONG, FEB 9: The National People’s Party (NPP) has decided to field candidates from all the twenty-five parliamentary seats in the North East region for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

“As a party we are keen to contest in all the seats. We would like to put our representation in all the 25 constituencies of the North East,” NPP national president and chief minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters after the general body meeting here on Saturday.

Stating that the NPP will come up with a mechanism to strengthen the party, Sangma said the intention of the party is to have a platform for taking up the various issues concerning the North-east region.

Earlier, the United Democratic Party, which is the main ally of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, had suggested that the NPP should contest only from Tura parliamentary seat.

The UDP however has projected its former legislator from Nongthymmai Jemino Mawthoh as the common candidate of the MDA from the Shillong seat, which is presently represented by opposition Congress MP Vincent H Pala.

The MDA coordination committee, which comprises of leaders from all the six political parties, is however yet to sit to take a final call on the matter related to the issue of common candidate.

Asked, the NPP national chief said that the party will have to organise and accordingly see from how many seats it will fight.

“…it is something that cannot be openly disclose right now but the resolution of the general body meeting that we must work towards (fielding candidates) from all the 25 constituencies,” he said.

Sangma also informed that the NPP will officially launch its Assam unit and party office in Guwahati on February 17. He said the election committees of the Assam unit and Mizoram unit have been formed to conduct the elections for the state presidents.

By Our Reporter