SHILLONG, Oct 16: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and its ally the United Democratic Party (UDP) has begun setting things in motion for identification, selection and declaration of its candidates in all the 60 seats for the 2023 Assembly polls.
“We have set the things in motion and as per the direction of our national president Conrad K Sangma and have begun the process of constituting the election committee,” NPP state president and Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi said on Sunday.
According to him once the election committee is constituted, the process of inviting applications for the party ticket will begin.
He informed that the committee will be set up within a week and it will be followed by the process of selection of candidates.
Kharlukhi said that the party intends to set up candidates in all the 60 seats since the procession of leaders from other parties to the NPP camp means that there will be no dearth of candidates.
The NPP is determined to contest the 2023 Assembly polls on its own in order to secure as many seats as possible to win majority and form the next government in the state.
“Coalition rules the roost in Meghalaya politics but the endeavour of the NPP is to emerge as the single largest party and run the government alone,” Kharlukhi said, making it clear that it was too early to talk about post-poll alliances.
Meanwhile, the UDP state election committee (SEC) will meet shortly to take a final decision on the allotment of the party tickets.
UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh told The Shillong Times on Sunday that the party leaders had recently met to deliberate on the applications received from ticket aspirants including sitting MLAs and MDCs.
“The first list of candidates will be announced immediately after the SEC’s approval,” Mawthoh said.
On the party’s decision to contest in the maximum number of seats, he said, “We are witnessing a strong wave in support of the party. The disintegration in the Congress party, non acceptability of the new parties and disintegration of smaller parties is favouring the UDP.”
The party is currently working on its election manifesto, he added.
