Conrad rules out pre-poll alliance
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 11 2021:
With the state gearing up for the forthcoming assembly elections, which is expected to be held early next year, National People's Party (NPP) national president Conrad Sangma has ruled out any pre-poll alliance in the state but said that the party will decide on post-poll alliance after getting the election results".
Conrad Sangma, who is also the chief minister of Meghalaya, arrived here on Saturday and chaired a meeting with party leaders, MLAs, office bearers and intending candidates of the party.
The meeting held at Hotel Classic Grande was attended by NPP Manipur president MLA N Kayisii, working president MLA L Jayantakumar, deputy chief minister Y Joykumar, minister Letpao Haokip, NPP youth president L Jayananda and many intending candidates.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Conrad said that he came to Imphal to discuss the forthcoming election with party leaders, office bearers and those who are intending to fight the election under the party's symbol and flag.
Stating that the meeting was productive, he affirmed that as NPP is a political party with its own ideologies, it now has several MLAs in the northeast region after it debuted with only two MLAs.
Among the eight national political parties, NPP is the first and only national party which originates from northeast, he maintained.
Conrad said that the party is a platform to bring up issues and problems faced by the people of northeast to the Centre through a set of ideologies.
It is the objective and ideology of the party that helps in increasing its strength day by day.
The 2022 assembly election in Manipur will be a crucial one for the party and it will fight the election based on its' principles and ideologies without having any pre-poll alliance.
As of now, over 30 prospective public leaders are ready to fight the election on NPP ticket and the number is likely to increase.
As the list has not been finalised, the party will not name the candidates or announce the exact number of candidates it will field, he said.
Conrad further informed that the state committee meeting had deliberated on the forthcoming election and youth wings have already been formed to maximise the outreach to the public.
Several political leaders have joined the party in the past and many more will join in the coming days.
With the support and vision the party has, the party will become a strong political force in the state and northeast region, the Meghalaya CM said.
Responding to queries, Conrad Sangma said that despite being a coalition partner of BJP, the party will not form any pre-poll alliance with BJP or any other parties.
The party will take its decision based on the political situation and development that comes after the election results are declared.
BJP had also declared its stand for fighting the election on its own with high hopes of winning majority to form a single party government.
It is the right of every political party to fight any election with the best possible strategy they have and NPP will also put its best efforts to win maximum number of seats, he said.
The party gives more focus on improving economy through various economic policies.
The party also emphasise on unemployment issues and inflation as well as infrastructure development, social healthcare, education.
It also prioritise in resolving issues related with farmers, youth and women.
NPP supported BJP in forming the government in Manipur but two of its minsters were sacked before completing their full term, which is a violation of commitment, he said.
He also said that running a coalition government is not an easy task and every coalition partner will need to sacrifice some of its visions and ambitions in order to sail smoothly.
As of now, the party will continue the coalition while observing the political developments in the state, he said, while reiterating that the party will definitely emerge as a strong political force in the state after the 2022 election.