SHILLONG: The National People’s Party (NPP) will select its chief minister from the region where it wins the maximum number of seats in the Assembly elections next year.
Addressing media persons after felicitating Jan Tynsong and Pyniaid Sing Syiem who officially joined the party, NPP state president WR Kharlukhi said the formula of electing chief minister has already been discussed and all members and candidates have been informed about it.
Kharlukhi also said the MLAs would decide the chief minister.
The party, which has drawn many leaders, some prominent, into its fold denied allegations of the state Congress leadership that the new entrants were scouting for greener pastures. “They are attracted to the party after looking at the leadership and the performance as NPP is a new party with new ideas,” said Kharlukhi.
NPP, which is hoping to emerge as the single majority in 2018, will come up with its poll mission document soon. The second list of candidates will be declared in the last week of November, Kharlukhi said.
Meanwhile, Langkyrdem-Laitkroh MDC Tynsong said he decided to join NPP after the Congress dissolved the Pynursla block Congress in September.
Sohryngkham MDC Syiem said people would judge him by the work he has done as a council member.
Party sees strength in unity
NPP has played safe on the growing demand for a separate Garoland. Kharlukhi on Friday told reports that the party has its own stand and it would go with what the public demands.
“Going by the situation, the public seems to have made it clear that they want to be together,” he said and added that separate statehood is a “long political issue of the Garo National Council”.
Kharlukhi also said if all the tribals come together, they will have a real voice in New Delhi.