SHILLONG, Oct 7: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday said the National People’s Party (NPP) will sweep the Mawphlang, Mawryngkneng and Rajabala constituencies that are going to the polls on October 30.
“Today with the opposition (Congress) in a very weak position at the national as well as the state level, we in the NPP are confident that the party will sweep the three constituencies,” he said.
Sangma, also the NPP national president, said the selection of candidates has given his party an edge in all three constituencies. “The people of these constituencies have seen how the NPP has been working not just in Meghalaya but throughout the North East,” he added.
He admitted that Mawryngkneng and Rajabala have been Congress bastions but Mawphlang is “anybody’s turf”.
However, he advised the NPP candidates not to underestimate the opposition and not be overconfident. “After contesting five elections myself, I have realised underestimating your opponent can put you on the wrong foot,” he said.
On coalition partner United Democratic Party (UDP) extending support to the NPP candidate in Mawryngkneng, Sangma said: “We respect each other and will always work to support each other wherever possible and without interfering in each other’s interest areas.”
He said the NPP would have supported UDP if “we did not have a candidate” for Mawryngkneng.
Sangma said it was not unusual for a new regional party called Voice of the People Party to have been formed in Meghalaya. “There are many political parties across the country but most don’t have even a single lawmaker. Today, the NPP is eighth out of 700 political parties in India,” he reminded.
The Congress candidates for Mawryngneng and Mawphlang too have exuded confidence of winning the by-polls.
“The people have realised their mistake after experiencing the tenure of the late S.K. Sunn as an MLA. They will again support me after the 2013 polls,” Kennedy C. Khyriem told reporters after filing his nomination papers from Mawphlang.
He asserted that the sympathy votes will be restricted within the family of the late Sunn and will not impact the other voters.
Khyriem also said the decision of MDC Lamphrang Blah to desert Congress and join the NPP would strengthen his prospects. “He (Blah) left Congress without informing the party leaders,” he said.
Congress candidate from Mawryngkneng, Highlander Kharmalki claimed the differences between CLP leader Mukul M. Sangma and MPCC president Vincent H. Pala would not have any impact in the bye-election.
“I can confidently say that the decision of party leader, Norbert Marboh to contest as an independent is going to help me. It is the NPP candidate, Pyniaid Sing Syiem who will suffer since he (Marboh) is expected to split the votes in the areas that are NPP strongholds,” Kharmalki said.
He claimed that 75% of the supporters of the People’s Democratic Front and the UDP are supporting the Congress in the bypoll.
