SHILLONG: The newly appointed National Youth President of National People’s Party (NPP) Ratika Yumnam has said that the NPP was still independent and was not being dictated by any party.
Responding to queries about party’s alliance with BJP, a party which is often tagged as communal, Ratika Yumnam said that alliance was something else and NPP was still independent.
“Just because we are in alliance, it does not mean that we are being dictated by any party and we are very much rooted and grounded about our commitment to secularism,” she told journalists here.
Asked about her priorities, Yumnam said that she wanted the party to focus on youth’s empowerment in terms of employment and skill development which is based on local context and special needs.
She also stressed on the need to focus on quality education of youths according to their need and talents.
On the other hand, NPP MLA James Sangma said that there would be change of Government in Meghalaya and NPP would play a very important and big role in the change.
Maintaining that Congress is facing anti-incumbency as they have not performed, Sangma added that Party’s doors were always open for anyone who has the best intention to serve the state and the nation.
On the reported move of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to contest the upcoming elections from two seats of Ampati and Songsak, James Sangma slammed the Chief Minister saying he was scared of losing in one of these seats.
“It is like sort of an insurance scheme where if he fails in one seat, he will win in other. This is just insecurity and eventually he will fail in both seats,” James said.
According to James Sangma, Mukul Sangma can contest from all 60 seats if he wants but this in unfair as he is taking the people for a ride at the expense of the state exchequer.
Terming the reported move of Chief Minister to contest elections from both seats as mockery of democracy, he said that if he wins from both seats, a bye election would have to be called at a time when Mukul Sangma all along have been talking about strengthening the physical health and economy of the state.
When asked about the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate of the party, Sangma said that the party is in the process of constituting State Election Committee and the matter of electing Chief Minister will depend on the MLAs which will be elected.
He,however, also said that the same committee would decide whether the party should have Chief Minister face before the elections or the Chief Minister face should be announced after the elections.
Meanwhile, Sangma also said that recent joining of around 500 NPP and independent workers to Congress in William agar is nothing but a political gimmick.