By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Opposition NCP on Wednesday accused Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma of resorting to cheap politics as the State gears up for elections early next year.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition, Conrad Sangma, said that the Chief Minister has not yet signed the forty per cent release of SRWP scheme for the year 2011-12 for Selsella constituency represented by Conrad Sangma.
According to Sangma, the Chief Minister has cleared the schemes for all the constituencies except three constituencies including Selsella.
“The Chief Minister is playing cheap politics. He is not targeting Conrad but he is targeting the people of Selsella,” Sangma told reporters here on Wednesday.
He claimed he had submitted the proposals for the SRWP scheme much earlier than other MLAs of the State.
The party also raised its opposition to the recent hike in petrol prices in the country, even as it extended its support to the Bharat Bandh on Thursday.
Earlier, the NCP also released the first copy of its monthly newsletter Ka Thup Jingshai.
Senior NCP state leaders including party president Dr. WR Kharlukhi attended the programme.
Purno’s bid won’t create rift in NCP: Conrad
Leader of the Opposition Conrad Sangma has refuted speculations that NCP leader Purno A Sangma’s candidature for the post of president would result in a rift in the party.
The speculation arose after NCP chief Sharad Pawar expressed the party’s intent to support UPA’s presidential candidature over PA Sangma. Talking to media persons here on Wednesday, Conrad said there should be a federal structure as NCP state units have resolved to support PA Sangma’s candidature for the post of President.
According to Conrad, PA Sangma has received support from NCP legislators of Orissa, Maharashtra, Manipur and even Arunachal Pradesh. The North East Coordination Committee of the NCP has also extended its full support to Purno.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik (BJD) and his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa have already pledged to support PA Sangma’s candidature.
The NCP state unit has also resolved to appeal to all the North East MPs to support Purno’s bid.
Regional parties of the State and some NGOs have also expressed their support to the NCP leader.