By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 30: The NPP has sounded the Lok Sabha poll bugle with its candidate for the Shillong parliamentary seat, Ampareen Lyngdoh ready to face criticisms from her opponents even on the infamous white ink (education) scam.
At the same time, the party has distanced itself from the BJP.
“The (white ink) case is being heard in the court and I have never been convicted,” she said while warning the other political parties against taking undue advantage.
Declining to discuss the case, she insisted the truth would reign supreme.
Lyngdoh said the NPP’s agenda for the upcoming elections has been to consolidate its position across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills to bag the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
Trashing the perception that an MP of a small state stays aloof of the issues at home or becomes toothless in a coalition government, she said Agatha Sangma has been doing a good job as the Tura MP in batting for the state and the North East beyond.
“MPs can speak on behalf of the state in Parliament and liaise with various departments to get any work done. I can be that person if given an opportunity,” she said.
Lyngdoh admitted the NPP did not do well across the Khasi-Jaintia region in the 2023 Assembly elections. “The party has matured over the years and an analysis of the 2023 elections shows we enjoyed a higher vote share. We are now in a good position to win,” she said.
She attributed her confidence to the performance of the NPP candidates of the Khasi-Jaintia region in the last Assembly polls. “Our candidates who lost did so by very small margins,” she pointed out.
She claimed a meeting of NPP leaders of all seven Assembly segments of the Jaintia Hills on Thursday indicated the party’s graph has been rising.
Lyngdoh declined to discuss the chances of Vincent H Pala retaining the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
She sought to “dispel the myth” that the NPP was synonymous with the BJP. “We may be partners in the NDA as well as the MDA but we have our own identity,” she added.
She admitted that it would be a challenge to carry the legacy of her father, Peter G Marbaniang, who represented the Shillong seat from 1989-1996. However, she played down the nomination of women for both Lok Sabha seats from Meghalaya.
“The decision to field two women for as many seats was taken consciously by the party,” she said.
Ampareen hopes to be vocal in Lok Sabha
Lyngdoh said she would take up the issue of the inner line permit (ILP) in Parliament if she is elected from the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
She said Agatha has virtually been the lone voice for issues of the state in Delhi.
“The Tura MP and I can make a ruckus strong enough for them (central leaders who matter) to take action on relevant issues,” she said, recalling how all 60 MLAs of the state came together to sound the Centre on the need for the ILP in Meghalaya.
Lyngdoh said the state government would coordinate with the Centre for the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) if it is accepted.
She said the MDA 1 government improved upon the MRSSA talked about by the previous regime and is now exploring its implementation with a new approach.
“We will work together with the NGOs on this,” she added.
Lyngdoh said a problem encountered with the assent to the bill has been sorted. “It looks like we may be close to the inner-line permit, which has many formulas for implementation. We will make sure that the MRSSA sees the light of the day,” she said.