SHILLONG, April 13: The People’s Democratic Front (PDF) on Thursday confirmed that talks were on with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) for a possible merger.
If the proposed merger takes place, the NPP will see its strength go up to 28 in the 59-member House.
PDF president Gavin Miguel Mylliem told The Shillong Times that the NPP leadership had approached the party with the proposal for a merger.
“Discussion between the leadership of both the parties is still on. We are yet to take a decision. Let us see how things shape up,” Mylliem who is also the party MLA from Sohra, said.
Meanwhile, PDF working president and Mawkynrew MLA, Banteidor Lyngdoh said that the NPP leadership had made an offer even before the formation of the MDA 2.0 Government.
According to him, the proposal for a merger came from both the national and state leadership of the NPP.
“We have already had a series of discussions with the NPP leadership on the merger. We also had one round of meeting among the party leaders to discuss the same,” Lyngdoh said.
He admitted that despite efforts the party managed to win only two seats, down from the four seats it had won in the 2018 Assembly polls.
Lyngdoh also stated that the NPP leadership wants the PDF to be part of the same family in achieving the objective of overall development of the state. “Whatever decisions we are going to take will be for the larger good of the state,” Lyngdoh said.
Asked if the merger will happen before the deferred election to Sohiong constituency, the PDF working president declined to give a date.
According to him, it is not going to be an easy decision for the party since they have to weigh the pros and cons of the merger. “It is an emotional thing since we were all instrumental in floating the PDF,” Lyngdoh added.
The PDF was formed in April 2017 with the aimed of developing the state and translating aspirations of the people into reality.
