Party yet to decide CM candidate
SHILLONG: The National People’s Party (NPP) is keen on a pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties, said its national head Conrad Sangma who simultaneously pointed out the complication in joining hands.
Speaking to media persons after the election of W.R Kharlukhi as the state party president on Saturday, Sangma said it is tough to strike an alliance even with like-minded entities as every party has its political interest. The party will conduct necessary exercise to find out the perfect match, which also includes BJP.
The UDP had expressed similar interest in May when its president Donkupar Roy had said the party was open to aligning with NPP as well as other like-minded parties to take on the Congress in the 2018 Assembly elections.
On pre-poll alliance of non-Congress parties, R.G Lyngdoh had recently said parties should keep their differences and individual interest aside for a better result.
NPP is already gearing up for the assembly polls, which is one and a half year away, and has decided to organise the party from the grassroots level. Sangma is hopeful that NPP will move forward under the leadership of Kharlukhi.
“The party needs to strengthen itself and NPP will have different committees for organising the party right till the grassroots level,” the Tura MP said, adding that NPP could be the alternative at a time when the people of the State as well as MLAs of other parties were frustrated and looking for different avenues. NPP will also organise regional conferences in Garo, Jaintia and Khasi Hills and the first of it will be held in Tura on November 26.
However, Sangma said the party has not yet decided on a chief ministerial candidate for the 2018 elections.
Kharlukhi, who was till date working as the ad hoc president of NPP, on Saturday sounded confident about the party forming the next government in Meghalaya.
The meeting was attended by around 350 party workers from different blocks.