By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 15: The suspense surrounding who will be NPP’s Shillong candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections continues.
For some time, speculation has been rife that NPP might field HM Shangpliang who defected from BJP. However, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday indicated no name has been finalised yet.
“We have started our exercise and party is screening a large number of aspirants. We will give an appropriate opportunity to individuals who would like to contest on our party’s ticket,” he said, adding that the party will choose the candidate based on the assessment of winnability factor.
Asked about the idea of a common candidate for MDA, Sangma said there is a desire for it but every political party wants its candidate to be in the fray so that the party can grow.
“There is nothing wrong in it as the workers of all parties would want their party to contest elections and grow,” the chief minister said.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) is keeping a close watch on the political developments unfolding in the country. TMC Parliamentary Party leader Mukul Sangma said a decision will be made at an appropriate time and forum.
Asked if TMC favours a common candidate since it is a part of the I.N.D.I.A alliance, he said, “…every decision will be to a great extent influenced by what happens due to political dynamics unfolding across the nation.”
“We will have to wait for that because it will be premature for us to presume and assume and give a response now,” he added.
The I.N.D.I.A bloc has 28 political parties, led by Congress.
Asked if he is joining BJP, Sangma said since they had the privilege of participating to build the state, there is a need to look at all available ways and means to do justice to the desires and expectations of the people if things are not going the right way.
He said he is concerned about Meghalaya – if it can be a state where everybody has a sense of wellbeing and there is a vibrant, progressive and prosperous atmosphere which is capable of contributing to the growth of the nation. He said there is a need to create a sense of oneness.
Asked if he has been denied a way into BJP by its top leaders, he said the politics of BJP, probably, does not happen without his name.
“You have not heard from the horse’s mouth…I have chosen to not react,” he said.
“It is necessary for all of us to have an exhaustive due diligence of overall political dynamics that unfolded in the state over the years and the way it is going to unfold now and how we will navigate through to ensure that our objective revolves around serving the people,” he said.
He also said that there are different political platforms in a democracy because each party feels that it can do better than the others.