In a major setback for the ruling NPP in Meghalaya, as many as 700 NPP supporters resigned from the party and joined BJP on Monday. These are the supporters of the NPP candidate from the Ranikor constituency Martin M Danggo.
The joiners were led by Pelcy Snaitang (Woman leader from Ranikor). Among the joiners were Ex MDC – Manstudy Nongrem, Lastbon Pariong (Chief Advisor of NPP Ranikor), Christopher Lyngdoh (Youth President of NPP Ranikor), Lengna Sangma (Vice President of NPP Ranikor), PK Nongmin (Vice President of NPP Ranikor), Justik Hashah (Youth Vice President of NPP Ranikor), and Santosh Sangma (Senior leader of NPP Ranikor).
Stating that the relationship between Ranikor NPP leadership and state NPP leadership was not going smoothly, Pelcy Snaitang (Woman leader from Ranikor) said, “We joined NPP because we wanted to support Danggo in Ranikor and make him win again the upcoming election but in last one two month we found that our relationship with the NPP state body is not comfortable, now as you know the election is very near we have to take a decision, we the Danggo supporter will try our best to make him win again the election. That’s why all the Danggo supporters from Ranikor have taken the decision to leave the NPP and then we had to request our candidate.”
She also claimed that the approximately original Danggo group consists of 12 thousand members; Original Don Massar is more than 3 thousand and the original Pelcy is also nearly 2 thousand.
Meanwhile, we spoke to other Danggo supporters who went to join the BJP.
“Initially we were in NPP and then we switched over to BJP, we want BJP in our constituency. This is a Mass Resignation.. since leaders are resigning we supporters will also resign,” said TD Marak, one of the supporters of Danggo.
While stating that their leader is MM Danggo, the supporters said, Total of around 13 thousand is resigning from the NPP to join the BJP.
“We are in large numbers resigning from NPP and joining BJP, we are the supporters of Martin Danngo,” said another supporter Sanjay Lama.
“We have decided to join and support BJP this election, our candidate is MM Danggo, we support him and have resigned from NPP. We liked BJP and we want our leader to contest from BJP. We are from Maheskola, Ranikor, and adjoining areas and we will work for BJP now “Polindro M Marak
Speaking to reporters, BJP state vice president Dipayan Chakraborty said, “Under the leadership of Pelcy Snaitang, they have joined the BJP. We welcome them and it is a great move because on the eve of elections when we are supposed to go for the nomination, the local committee was dissolved and there was mass resignation from the NPP.”
Stating that the relationship between Ranikor NPP leadership and state NPP leadership was not going smoothly, Pelcy Snaitang (Woman leader from Ranikor) said, “We joined NPP because we wanted to support Danggo in Ranikor and make him win again the upcoming election but in last one two month we found that our relationship with the NPP state body is not comfortable, now as you know the election is very near we have to take a decision, we the Danggo supporter will try our best to make him win again the election. That’s why all the Danggo supporters from Ranikor have taken the decision to leave the NPP and then we had to request our candidate.”
She also claimed that the approximately original Danggo group consists of 12 thousand members; Original Don Massar is more than 3 thousand and the original Pelcy is also nearly 2 thousand.
Meanwhile, we spoke to other Danggo supporters who went to join the BJP.
“Initially we were in NPP and then we switched over to BJP, we want BJP in our constituency. This is a Mass Resignation.. since leaders are resigning we supporters will also resign,” said TD Marak, one of the supporters of Danggo.
While stating that their leader is MM Danggo, the supporters said, Total of around 13 thousand is resigning from the NPP to join the BJP.
“We are in large numbers resigning from NPP and joining BJP, we are the supporters of Martin Danngo,” said another supporter Sanjay Lama.
“We have decided to join and support BJP this election, our candidate is MM Danggo, we support him and have resigned from NPP. We liked BJP and we want our leader to contest from BJP. We are from Maheskola, Ranikor, and adjoining areas and we will work for BJP now “Polindro M Marak
Speaking to reporters, BJP state vice president Dipayan Chakraborty said, “Under the leadership of Pelcy Snaitang, they have joined the BJP. We welcome them and it is a great move because on the eve of elections when we are supposed to go for the nomination, the local committee was dissolved and there was mass resignation from the NPP.”
He said every citizen has started to understand that the Conrad K Sangma-led government has failed miserably as people’s expectations have not been met in the last five years.
Asked about Danggo’s joining, the party leader said they are expecting to hear some good news from Ranikor within a day or two.
“We are hearing that he will be joining the party as most of his supporters have joined the BJP today. So we hope within a day or two we will hear some good news from Ranikor,” he said.
Expressing confidence that the BJP will lead the government after the elections, Chakraborty also maintained that the party will not need the NPP if the party gets 30 seats.
“If BJP has 25, we are going to head the government. That is also speculation. Let us see we are going to the people so the people are going to give their verdict. In politics today I cannot give this answer because it is after the people give their verdict that the calculation starts. So we have to see for the better interest of the people. Once we go back to the people have to answer, if people give us 30 -31 seats so we don’t need NPP,” he said.