Shillong, Dec 20: NPP leader and deputy chief minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has exuded confidence about his party retaining the reins of power in the upcoming autonomous district council (ADC) elections in Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills.
“We are working towards forming the EC (executive committee) on our own. We want to have a majority. But if we fall short, we are open to working with other parties. We welcome them with no hesitation,” he said.
Asserting NPP’s preparedness for ADC elections, he announced that the party is ready to contest both KHADC and JHADC elections.
“We are fully prepared, ready for both district council elections — Khasi Hills as well as Jaintia Hills,” he said.
Stating that 80% of the party’s candidates have been finalized, he said, “Maybe before Christmas or in the first week of January, the remaining names will be announced. We are conducting the process in phases, and if the second phase is completed, then it’s okay. Otherwise, there may be a third phase.”
He also claimed that the party’s candidate selection process is grounded in discipline and consultation at every level.
“We consult our leaders in the field, whether it’s men, women, young, or old. It’s not about personal connections or friendships…If the block recommends a woman candidate, we respect that…But ultimately, we focus on the winnability of candidates. We trust our grassroots leaders to make the right recommendations,” he said.
On Congress’ decision to withdraw from EC, he said, “This is just politics. If they wanted to pull out, they should have done so a long time back…But from NPP, we welcome all parties to work together… The door is always open.”
While admitting the competition NPP faces in KHADC and JHADC elections from multiple parties, he dismissed suggestions that this indicated weakness of the NPP.
“In Garo Hills, it’s mainly two parties. But here in Khasi-Jaintia Hills, there are several — UDP, NPP, VPP, Congress — which naturally divides the votes. This doesn’t mean that NPP is weak. In fact, we are currently 13 strong, so how can anyone claim we are weak? Yes, challenges exist in politics, but we are ready to face them,” Dhar said.
The elections to KHADC and JHADC will be held on February 21, 2025.
