Shillong, June 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has exuded confidence over the victory of MDA candidate James K Sangma in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election as he said the MP would play a critical role in raising Meghalaya’s key concerns at the Centre.
Appreciating the coalition partners in MDA-II government for their unanimous support to the NPP leader, the chief minister said, “I would like to thank all the partners in the MDA for having unanimously and with consensus supported the candidature of James Sangma.”
He acknowledged that representatives of most of the MDA partners were present during filing of the nomination.
On the prospect of other candidates, Sangma said the position would be clear once nominations close.
“Regarding other candidates, we are not very sure. We will have to wait for a few hours; the picture will be very clear… MDA has the necessary strength to ensure that our candidate wins in this MP Rajya Sabha election,” he said.
The chief minister listed a range of issues he expects the MP to take up, from state-specific concerns to national legislation.
“We feel that there are multiple issues that the MP should bring up. I am sure that James Sangma will successfully bring up those issues,” he said.
“The issues will range from everything that is socially and politically important to our people and our state, and also issues related to different schemes and government programmes, he added.
The chief minister stressed that the MP’s role as a link between Shillong and New Delhi would be crucial for pushing Meghalaya’s agenda at the ministry level.
Sangma said the state government would continue to pursue its core demands aggressively, and the MP would carry them forward in Parliament.
“Whenever there is an opportunity, we as a government and as a party take up the matter very aggressively… the MP will play a critical role in raising all the issues that we have taken up, whether it is the Eighth Schedule, Sixth Schedule, FCRA amendment, and the issue of illegal immigration, and matters like ILP, MRSSA,” he said.
The chief minister also addressed the absence of some MDA allies at the nomination, attributing it to scheduling changes and a bereavement in the family of Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
“There are no differences, nothing like that…,” he asserted while mentioning that some MDA partners could not accompany James Sangma in the nomination filing for having to attend the funeral.
He added that James Sangma’s six-year Rajya Sabha term would give the state consistent representation at the national level.
