NPP to follow Manipur formula in 3 NE states

TURA: The National People’s Party (NPP) is planning to test the electoral waters in three northeastern states that will go to polls along with Meghalaya early next year.
The party founded by late P.A Sangma held its national executive committee meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday where, for the first time, NPP legislators from Rajasthan, Manipur and Meghalaya rubbed shoulders. Members of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council were also present.
There are four NPP MLAs from Rajasthan, four from Manipur and two, including late Sangma’s elder son James Pangsang Kongkal Sangma, from Meghalaya.
“Our national executive meeting was attended by our elected members from all the three states and we discussed a broad range of subjects, including the upcoming elections to Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura,” said NPP national president Conrad K Sangma while speaking to The Shillong Times on phone from New Delhi.
Ruling out any immediate decision, the NPP chief said his party would look into the prospect of contesting the upcoming polls.
NPP won four seats in the recently concluded Manipur elections. It also bagged the deputy chief minister’s position.
“We are keen to expand our party footprint to other parts of the country particularly in the other northeastern states. We already have a presence in Rajasthan and our recent victory in Manipur stands testament to the growing influence of our party policy,” said Conrad.
The Congress despite emerging as the single largest party was edged out of the power equation after BJP cobbled up a coalition with NPP to form government in Manipur.
NPP was rewarded with four cabinet berths, including the post of deputy chief minister. It had contested the assembly elections on its own and without any pre-poll understanding with BJP angering a section in the saffron party.