NPP National President Conrad Sangma on Friday said the party has started screening of aspirant candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
Talking to reports, Sangma said opportunity will be given to all those who like to apply for the party ticket.
“We have started our exercise and the party is screening a large number of candidates,” Sangma said when asked about Shillong parliamentary seat.
“It will be a democratic process where we will allow people to participate and share their desire to contest and then accordingly we will choose the candidate based on winnability and other factors,” he added.
Asked about if Hima Shangpliang will get the ticket, CM said joining should not be based on any condition, if any individual who are in the party wants to apply for the ticket to contest Lok Sabha election, can apply.
“We welcome everybody and we have always told everybody that joining has to be not based on any conditions as such. I am not talking about the concerned individual I am talking about in general. In general, everybody joins for the purpose of serving the people and the State and working through a particular party so that is the objective and that is how we would see it and of course as I said if any individual whoever is in the party would like to apply for the ticket they can apply for the party ticket,” Sangma said.
Asked about Tura seat, he said though there is a sitting MP, but the party will go through the screening process as there is full committee who processes the entire ticketing.
“We have a sitting MP out there and hence, obviously there is a certain consideration for the incumbent and sitting MP. Again as I said we have a full committee that processes the entire ticketing so therefore that process will also happen for Tura also,” he added.
Asked if James Sangma, former legislator and the brother of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma planning to contest the upcoming election, the NPP National president said, “….all different individuals can apply, the party will scrutinized, the process is same for all.”