‘NPP not to field 3 MLAs in polls’

SHILLONG, Nov 19: The National People’s Party (NPP) will deny tickets to three MLAs in the upcoming Assembly elections, its state president and Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi said on Saturday.
He, however, did not disclose who the three MLAs are and why they are being ignored.
He said the party, as of now, does not intend to field candidates in the Mairang and South Shillong seats.
Talking to media persons during the formation of the NPP’s different committees in North Shillong,
Kharlukhi said some MLAs, who know they will not be fielded in the polls, are planning to leave the party and join other parties.
He claimed eight MLAs of other political parties would join the NPP in January.
He said the NPP intends to contest from 54 seats this time around.
Kharlukhi denied speculation that the NPP is not fielding candidates in the Mairang and South Shillong seats due to its tacit understanding with the United Democratic Party and the BJP. He said the NPP, as of now, does not intend to contest from the two seats, hinting that there is still time for the state to go to elections and the stand may change.
Asked about Agatha Sangma’s support to the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Kharlukhi said she might have supported it but the party never did. This is the reason why Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma convened a meeting of all Chief Ministers of the Northeast to oppose the Act, he added.
“I am clearly against it,” he said, adding what Agatha says is not the party’s stand.
Hinting that he is unhappy with the NDA, Kharlukhi said he has not attended even a single meeting of the NDA government after it rejected the demand to appoint a local as the Vice Chancellor of the North-Eastern Hill University.
Reacting to a query about the Trinamool Congress, he said it is yet to be tested in the Garo Hills. He advised its stalwart and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma to do his calculations properly or else, he might lose his seat.
Earlier while addressing the programme, Kharlukhi said the NPP is eyeing an absolute majority in the elections. Senior leaders, including party candidate from North Shillong Ransom Sutnga, were present.