NPP doesn’t represent any community or religious identity: Ampareen
Shillong, Oct 14: Setting its tone for the upcoming bye-election in Garo Hills and elections to two autonomous district councils (ADCs) in Khasi and Jaintia Hills, the ruling NPP has asserted itself as a true state-level party without any regional or communal bias, as opposed to parties in the opposition.
“We will prove to the people that NPP is pan Meghalaya. We will never indulge in any divisive politics… we represent the state of Meghalaya, not a community, not a religious identity… we fight together for our issues and a common goal – progress of the state,” said Ampareen Lyngdoh, National People’s Party (NPP) leader and cabinet minister.
Criticising parties that “isolate themselves regionally”, Lyngdoh said, “If X party wants to expand its area of operation, nobody can stop it… but if you ask me what is the dynamics of this expansion… there was a very unfortunate scenario during the MP elections… when political parties isolated themselves regionally.”
She was hinting at the nascent Voice of the People Party (VPP) that had upset the political veterans to win the Shillong Lok Sabha seat. VPP is well known for its clear stand in favour of the Khasi-Jaintia community.
Referring to the ruling ally United Democratic Party (UDP), which is also predominantly based in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, Lyngdoh said, “We have seen even the UDP has from time to time always try to expand its operation throughout the boundaries of the state of Meghalaya.”
“We should not have sides and demarcation, which are divisive in nature,” she said while cautioning that the state cannot make progress if citizens are divided on such lines.
Stating that NPP is open to scrutiny and ready accept the people’s verdict, she said the party, however, would never indulge in any divisive politics.
Poll preparations
Meanwhile, she exuded confidence over the party’s prospects in Gambegre bye-election and two ADC elections in Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
The NPP is going to field chief minister Conrad K Sangma’s wife Mehtab Chandee Sangma for Gambegre bye-election, which was necessitated following election of previous Congress MLA Saleng A Sangma to the Lok Sabha.
“We will fight to take it away from any political party because at this point of time, political stability in the state is very much required,” said Lyngdoh.
“Do not underestimate our preparedness,” she said perhaps in view of the upset the party had faced in Lok Sabha elections.
