From C K Nayak
NEW DELHI: With the landslide win of BJP-led NDA, NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is rushing to the national capital on Friday not only to be part of the celebrations but also to chalk out a strategy for future course of action.
NPP is a constituent of NDA.
The win in the Tura Lok Sabha seat that too against former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, has made his
position stronger notwithstanding the defeat of MDA common candidate in Shillong.
But wresting Selsella from Congress was the icing on the cake for the NPP, observers feel.
NPP single largest
With the win in Selsella, the strength of NPP in the House of 60, rose to 21 and the tally of the Congress has been reduced to 19.
Barring the recent win on home turf Ampati, Congress was on a downhill slide in the state ever since it lost power in the Assembly polls, a year ago.
It could win only Shillong seat since the “combined” MDA candidate was weak and Pala’s support base lay across party lines and sections.
Moreover, NPP in itself has no stake in Shillong Lok Sabha seat unlike the case of Tura where Agatha
Sangma won and Selsella which was wrested from Congress despite the sympathy wave.
Strategically, a win in Lok Sabha seat in Shillong would have made the growing UDP stronger which could have posed trouble at a later stage within the NPP-led alliance.
Since NPP on its own has no majority in the Assembly and no Congress MLA joined it deserting the party after defeat of the former Speaker, the regional party was not gaining strength in any case.