SHILLONG: National president of the National People’s Party (NPP), Conrad Sangma has called upon regional political parties to join forces to push national parties to the background in the state.
Addressing a rally of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) at Polo Second ground on Tuesday which was attended by thousands of people, he said regional forces must combine and come together as one voice for Lok Sabha elections.
He said national parties had disrespected the identity of the people and argued that national parties would never understand the sentiments of the state’s people and also asserted that national parties deciding about the affairs of the state was unacceptable.
According to him, North Eastern states have a lot of potential and the national parties will not make any difference despite the Act East and Look East Policy.
He said UDP general secretary and common candidate, Jemino Mawthoh is a candidate of the government and hoped for his win with a thumping majority.
Sangma said, “We are all equal in this government and in the spirit of the coalition, we are taking it forward.”
Observing that regional political parties were fighting against each other during the last Assembly election in the state, he said differences might prevail amongst parties but the regional political parties were united on the agenda of common candidate.
Striking the “unity” chord to echo the sentiments of other MDA allies, he said, “We are united and will always fight for our people.”
He said being a Chief Minister or a minister is not a privilege instead it must be looked at as an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.
He took a dig at the previous Congress government when he recalled the time his late father Purno A Sangma had asked an MLA on the workings of the Congress government, to which the MLA said that Mukul Sangma’s government was a JCB government.
Meanwhile, Mawthoh banked on the unity and stability of the MDA government as well as the Executive Committees of the Autonomous District Councils in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
He said the fight in the current Lok Sabha election was between the Congress candidate and the MDA candidate and sought the people’s support to oust Congress.
Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president KP Pangniang was firm on not allowing Congress to win even as he said that the issue that was bothering him most is the inter-state border issue.
He spoke of Langpih incident in which the then Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the Congress assured to find a permanent solution to the boundary dispute.
He asked on the follow up made by the Congress MP Vincent Pala on the boundary commission and went on to say that the MP did not raise the issue of coal mining, influx and the inclusion of Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
People’s Democratic Front (PDF) Ivanlumlang Marbaniang maintained that the MDA was united as there was mutual understanding amongst the coalition partners.