NPP candidate for Shillong parliamentary seat and cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Thursday said the National People’s Party has its own identity and is not synonymous with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Addressing media persons after a consultation meeting with leaders from Jaintia Hills region, Lyngdoh said, “I am here with the agenda of the party and we stick by that and we dispel the myth that we are synonymous with BJP. NPP has its own identity. We are not going to be submerged by any ideas or ideologies which are averse to the people of the State. We are NPP, we are members of the NDA and there is absolutely no harm to be coalition partners with the NDA.”
The East Shillong legislator said that there is need to have a view of religion.
“All religions are equal in the State of Meghalaya. We should take that forward and we should not say that X, Y, Z parties are linked to this and this. We will work hard to make sure that also is dispelled in these elections. We will try to cut across party lines.”
Asked on the performance of the sitting Congress MP Vincent H Pala, Lyngdoh said, “I am not here to rate anyone. I will meet that person on the turf. We are going to be contenders for the post of MP. I will not say what he did, what he didn’t do, let the people evaluate.”
Lyngdoh and Agatha K Sangma have been declared as candidates of the party for the upcoming LS elections.
“The party has consciously taken a call to allow two women candidates to represent the two MP seats of the state of Meghalaya speaks volumes. We do not want to harp on that. Both Agatha and I do not necessarily link to gender. Nevertheless because we are women, we have to assure the people of the state of Meghalaya that this party is a party which is tolerant to the things to come. We already said that 33% reservation will be a reality. Now we want to show by example,” she said.
She said her campaign started with all Jaintia Hills leaders from all 7 constituencies during a consultation meeting held today.
“We have shown you this is the kind of excitement that is there in the minds of people. I hope as a candidate I will be able to make that magic happen because I only promise one thing, I will work hard and I will walk the talk. I have been a person who has been vocal and focused and I will continue to do that with an effort to popularise the party that has made me an MLA this time and made me a minister this time,” she said
Further, Lyngdoh promised to follow her late father Peter Garnett Marbaniang’s footsteps.
“We are very honoured that the people remembered my late father. 27 years have just passed that way. We tend to get a little emotional but I will have to carry that forward. That is a big task for me to actually begin to understand because my father was known as the person of the people. I have to start there, which is the basic thing. I have to follow his footsteps very keenly. I cannot do anything different,” she said.