SHILLONG, MAR 30: National People’s Party (NPP) national chief and chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday chaired a meeting with state BJP leaders and workers to discuss the preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma said, “We assure as a united NDA front we will become victorious in both the seats in Meghalaya.”
He said it is the duty of the NPP to meet the different parties, who are extending support to the party.
“I have asked the BJP leaders to call the karyakartas and their different mandal presidents and organizational heads. I (had) expressed my gratitude for their support to our candidature and requested them to work hard so that NDA candidates win and also share and discuss some ways and means in which we can move forward,” Sangma said.
“So today’s purpose was really to thank the leadership of the BJP, especially because as of today we have called all karyakartas for having supported the NDA candidate sponsored by the NPP for Shillong and Tura,” he said
Asked if BJP central leaders will be campaigning for NPP, Sangma said, “I cannot speak on their behalf but whether they come or not but what is important is that their local leaders, local grassroot workers those are the real people who will make a difference at the grassroot level and we are happy today that most of the BJP leaders specially Khasi and Jaintia Hills region have today attended this meeting and are satisfied and have expressed concerns and we have tried to address most of the concerns and we assure as united NDA front we will becoming victorious in both the seats.”
The NPP chief said that different NDA partners throughout the North East are coming together to ensure that the NDA comes out successful at the national elections and in the spirit of team NDA, different partners are sponsoring different candidates in different states.
“Like in Manipur, in one seat the NPF and in another BJP, in Nagaland the NDPP, in Arunachal the BJP, and in Meghalaya the NPP. Hence, all NDA partners have spoken to each other. I spoke to Mr Pema, I spoke to Manipur CM, Arunachal, Nagaland CM and we have discussed and worked out on how we can support each other jointly so that we come out successful in the Lok Sabha elections. So, all NDA partners are working as one. So in that spirit like I had made a visit to Nagaland and expressed my support for the NDPP candidate in Nagaland, the BJP had given a statement and given their support for the NDA candidates against MPF in outer Manipur, NDPP Nagaland and Meghalaya,” he said.
Asked, Sangma said, “Well Dipul Marak has left but he has joined the NPP now. There is no resentment. All this was that instead of supporting indirectly, we will be happy to join directly. This is not resentment in the BJP. This is a wrong assessment as whoever has left is still with the NPP or NDA.”
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