Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad Sangma on Saturday, 27 August, announced that his political party will contest the upcoming 2023 Meghalaya Assembly election alone.
"We have decided to go solo not just in Meghalaya but also the other state elections around the region including Nagaland and Tripura," Sangma told news agency ANI.
Sangma’s announcement came after the party’s national meet, which was held in Delhi.
The Meghalaya chief minister said:
"Our stand is no different than what it was in 2018. Then too we had been solo and we had a post-poll alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)."
"As a party we need to work for the sentiments and the aspirations of our people and our state,” CM Sangma added.
Sangma further said, “What is happening to the Congress is very sad to see. For the longest time, no revival is in sight not just in Meghalaya but nationally too.”
Commenting on the emerging Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has been in the limelight in Meghalaya, Sangma said, “The Trinamool Congress has done well in some places but it will be overrated to say, just now, that it is a major challenge for us with such a short time for the state polls to be held.”
However, Sangma added that the NPP’s decision to contest the 2023 polls alone will not have an impact on the party's larger understanding with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
He said, “We have an understanding with NDA both politically as well as on issues. But even on certain issues, we have not aligned with them politically. We have made our stand very clear.”
The NPP's Coalition in 2018
During the 2018 Assembly elections, the NPP won 20 seats while the Congress, emerging as the single largest party, won 21 seats.
However, the Sangma-led NPP managed to form a coalition government, partnering with the United Democratic Party (UDP), People’s Democratic Front, the BJP, Hill State People’s Democratic Party, and two independent outfits.
In November 2021, Mukul Sangma, who is not related to the current chief minister, and 11 other Congress MLAs joined Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, which is looking to expand its base beyond West Bengal.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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