TURA, Nov 29: Vice chairman of the Minority Affairs Committee of the NPP, Sofior Rahman, on Monday said that former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s recent move of joining the All India Trinamool Congress along with 11 Congress MLAs would not impact the party but it could in fact gain from the development in the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections.
Rahman said that while Sangma’s shifting of allegiance along with the Congress MLA would divide the vote share of the Congress, it would not be so for the NPP and the party would win with absolute majority in the 2023 Assembly elections.
“Because of the shifting of allegiance of the 12 Congress MLAs, NPP has become the strongest party in the state and even the North East. We must remember that out of the 12 Congress MLAs, nine were from Garo Hills and this will surely affect the minority vote bank of the Congress,” he said.
According to him, the NPP in 2023 is certain to win over minority voters and capture seats like Phulbari, Rajabala, Selsella and Mahendraganj which were strongholds of the Congress.
Recalling the last two by-elections in the plain-belt region, Rahman said that the NPP already managed to wrest two Congress seats — Selsella and Rajabala — left behind by the demise of sitting MLAs, Clement R Marak and Dr. Azad Zaman. “The NPP has won the trust of the common people and in 2023, we will take Tikrikilla and Mahendraganj as well as become an absolute majority,” Rahman said.