After quitting BJP Kim Gangte, followers join NPP
Sangma hawks NPP as party that can unite NE
Source: The Sangai Express

CCpur, March 29 2019: Raising the political pitch ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Churachandpur, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma today addressed the first political rally at the heart of the town even as the BJP and Congress are set to follow soon.

The NPP leader from Meghalaya called on the people to pick the party's candidate in Outer Manipur and be counted in the movement which he says will strengthen North East and take its people forward at YPA Hall today.

Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar and Health Minister Jayantakumar along with several party leaders from the State also joined him at the rally wherein former MP and BJP leader Kim Gangte and her supporters were formally inducted into the party's fold.

Addressing the rally, Sangma traced the roots of NPP in Manipur and claimed that it was his late father PA Sangma's vision to resuscitate the party as a united political platform for the North East.

It is that vision which is still governing the party today to realise the late leader's dream of making it a party that would fight for the people of the North East, raise the voice of the North East and bring the North East together, he said.

Conrad also recalled his personal experiences of neglect as an MP from the North East in Delhi saying, 'sometimes Delhi doesn't take us seriously,' even as he attributed it to the lack of agreement amongst the MPs from the region.

However it will be a different case if at least 25 MPs from the region can come together.

No party will even think of introducing a Bill such as the Citizenship Amendment Bill in such an event.

However they know that there is no unity amongst the MPs in the region, therefore they feel that they can do anything and the people will accept it, he said.

'That is why we have to send a message to the ruling Government that we cannot be taken for granted,' said Sangma while hawking the NPP as a party that can unite the region.

Claiming that the CAB was stalled as a result of the people of North East coming together despite their diverse political background, Sangma expressed desire to see one such political platform for the region and went on to claim that the NPP has taken up that challenge to provide that platform.

Further championing the case of the region, Sangma said when Congress was in power they talked about Look East; when BJP came they said Act East.

But in reality 'who is going to look for us, who is going to act for us ? Nobody is going to look for us, nobody is going act for us.

If somebody has to look, if somebody has to act, then we have to do it, you have to do it,' he said.

It is only when the citizens of North East, when their young population, the youth of North East decide and said 'yes we will act, yes will take our reason forward, yes we will take our people forward,' that there will be a Look East and Act East, he added.

The party's candidate, Thangminlen Kipgen also reiterates the lines of Conrad Sangma to advocate his election saying it will be an advantage to have a set of MPs raising their voices for the people of the region rather than have one.

His remarks were in a veiled reference to the other States in North East region.

With the NPP breaking the political ice today, the BJP and the Congress parties are set follow it up close with the BJP set for a rally at Tuibong Peace Ground tomorrow while the Congress will hold their rally at YPA Hall Hiangtam Lamka on Tuesday.

Tomorrow's BJP rally will be attended by Chief Minister N Biren Singh and many others from his Council of Ministers along with BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, sources said.

The Congress rally on Tuesday will see former Chief Minister O Ibobi, MPCC president Gaikhangam, and former MPCC president TN Haokip among others.

Meanwhile, reliable sources said at least eight ADC members from Churachandpur who recently quit the BJP along with former president of BJP Churachandpur Mandal K Vungzalian will be formally joining the Congress party during a function to be held at Congress Bhavan, Imphal tomorrow.

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