Parties gear up for release of manifesto by January

SHILLONG: With just about two months left for the Assembly elections, political parties in the state are on the job to prepare manifestos and are likely to release them by mid-January.
The National People’s Party is coming up with a Mission Document to convey to the people its “commitment” if the party comes to power.
NPP state president WR Kharlukhi said, “We have almost finished preparing the Mission document that will be a very big one covering all government departments. We have collated information through RTI and other sources. So it will be released after the final list of candidates is announced.”
Asked about a tentative date, Kharlukhi said, “We should release it latest by the first week of January… details of the document will be shared at a press conference which we plan to hold soon.”
UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh said the common minimum programme and manifesto would be ready after the UDP general meeting on December 15. The CMP bears significance for the UDP-HSPDP alliance as the regional parties have had separate agendas in the past.
The Peoples’ Democratic Front, which was floated earlier this year, has released pamphlets related to the party manifesto.
“We have released pamphlets (comprising 16 points) related to the party’s manifesto. We have formed a committee for framing the manifesto and we will release it once the draft is approved by the central election committee. It should be tentatively released by the second week of January,” said PDF general secretary Auspicious L Mawphlang.
Another regional party, the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), had released its vision document 2017 in August.
The Congress and BJP too will release their manifestos by January.
When asked about the manifesto, Congress spokesperson Ronnie V. Lyngdoh said, “We are doing it. As soon as the elections are announced (in January) and we announce our final list of candidates, the manifesto will be released.”
BJP, which is eyeing at least 40 seats, says its vision document will be ready next month.
BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh said, “We are preparing the vision document that will be released by January.”