SHILLONG: A day after the Election Commission of India gave its recognition to NPP as a national party, Chief Minister and the party’s national president, Conrad Sangma, said the party would speak for the Northeastern region.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting of the North East Coordination Committee of the party here on Saturday, Sangma said, “In today’s politics and dynamics, North East is playing a very important role. Even the Centre has been focusing a lot on the region.
He said that being the only national party from the region the NPP would play an important role in ensuring the voice of the people of the region is heard at the national level.
“It will also take the party to a different level of national importance. I am sure it will benefit the people of the North East,” he added.
Earlier, he stated that the NPP has been very clear with the BJP leadership that proper discussion and proper consultation should be there before moving forward on any issues which affect the people of the Northeastern region.
Pointing out that the issue like the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is something that concerns the people of the region, Sangma said that the party has urged the leadership of the BJP that it should take the stakeholders into confidence on this matter.
“Proper discussion and proper consultation must take place in any given situation. The interest of the people of the North East must be protected. We will continue to work and fight at the same time on any issue which concerns the people of the region,” Sangma said.
He also said that the party’s priority will always be to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the region while at the same time giving due importance to national interest.
India is a very diverse nation. When we say regional aspirations that does not mean we are going against the national interest. Therefore, national interest will always be there and we will take it always in the positive sense.
But it is also important that the regional aspirations don’t get lost,” the NPP national president said.
He said that the party will be the voice for the people of the region and “One voice one Northeast” will remain its slogan.
Replying to a question if it is the Congress or BJP who will be NPP’s main political opponent, he said that it is for the people to decide.
“We have always felt that there is a vacuum for a platform that would speak for the North East. Here we have a party that is born and made by the people and for the people of the region. We will simply go ahead with our ideology. It is not appropriate for us to say so and so is our opposition,” Sangma said. (More on P-3)