NONGPOH/ TURA: Tura MP Conrad K Sangma said on Monday if the National People’s Party (NPP) comes to power after the 2018 elections, it will send Mukul Sangma behind bars for his corruption.
Addressing a gathering at a programme following the inauguration of NPP District and Block Committee office here, the NPP national president said Mukul “is the most corrupt chief minister” in Meghalaya.
HS Shylla, who recently joined NPP and is the party’s candidate from Nongkrem, reiterated Conrad’s claims and said, “We will make sure that Mukul Sangma will be the first ever chief minister of the state to get arrested because of his misdeeds if NPP comes to power in 2018.”
He added that Mukul should be accountable for the various agencies which siphon off funds under different departments.
This is not the first time that Mukul was tagged as the “most corrupt”. Last month, BJP’s minority leader Hayithung Bill Lotha had also accused the chief minister of corruption and shielding the guilty in his coterie.
Referring to three senior Congress leaders’ exit from the poll fray and exodus of prominent faces, Conrad said on Monday the recent developments in the party show the growing resentment over Mukul’s dictatorial ways.
RC Laloo, Roshan Warjri and DD Lapang have decided not to contest the 2018 assembly elections. Lapang’s announcement has been taken as a bad omen for the Congress by many state leaders even in the ruling party.
“The message that Lapang is giving us is not that he is not contesting but that he feels humiliated, he is giving the message that he has had enough of being under the leadership of Mukul Sangma. The message he is giving us is that he cannot continue to be in the party like the Congress under a leader like Mukul Sangma who has time and again humiliated our great leader (Lapang),” the NPP leader said as he praised the MPCC chief for his contributions to the development of Ri Bhoi as well as other parts of the state.
On Saturday, Conrad, while speaking at the party’s first general conference in Dadenggre block in West Garo Hills, had said Lapang’s decision “is a sign that the Congress will be rejected by the people of Meghalaya and ultimately face defeat”.
The Tura MP had sounded confident when he said careful selection of candidates based on qualification, experience and genuine concern for the welfare of people would go a long way in ensuring success for NPP.
“I am extremely happy at the growth of NPP and this has been possible due to the strong foundation laid by our founder late PA Sangma. The foundation was based on the welfare and protection of the rights of tribals, religious minorities, including Christians, and the people of the North East in general,” Sangma had told the 5,000-odd gathering at Tebronggre village.
Dadenggre MLA James K Sangma predicted that NPP would get not less than 15 seats in Garo Hills. He added that to have a Khasi chief minister, the party should work hard and ensure that they must win more than 15 seats from Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
BJP link
Conrad clarified that NPP is not in alliance with BJP saying the former has different constitutions and ideologies which cannot be compromised.
The NPP leader said as a responsible party it would work hand in hand with any ruling party at the Centre.
The NPP chief said the party was getting stronger by the day with many legislators from other northeastern states willing to join.
He added that he would continue to fight for the right of the people of Meghalaya in Parliament. In this regard, he pointed out that it was after his intervention that the 12 per cent GST that was imposed on brooms was reduced to zero as Meghalaya is the largest state exporting more than 80 per cent broom in the country.
Among other leaders who were present at the Nongpoh meet were national general secretary Vivek Raj Wangkhen, NPP candidates from Ri Bhoi CB Syiem (Nongpoh), Dasakhiatbha Lamare (Mawhati) and Sosthenes Sohtun (Jirang).
GHADC salary row
Former GHADC chief executive member Denang T Sangma, who was present at NPP general conference on Saturday, targeted the Boston Marak-led executive committee.
“Under Boston Marak the district council is going to touch 15 months without employees being paid. In comparison, during the 17-month tenure of the NPP-led EC in the GHADC, we were able to clear salaries for 12 months out of the 17 pending dues,” said Denang.
The GHADC staff have not got their salaries for 14 months.
The NPP senior leaders urged voters to support Dadenggre legislator James.
