NPP leader and deputy CM Sniawbhalang Dhar on Tuesday informed that the party is looking for a new face to field as candidate from Shillong parliamentary seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, to be held next year.
According to him, former Mawsynram legislator Himalaya Shangpliang, who just joined the NPP family after resigning from BJP, is also a new face because he has never contested the MP elections before.
“Yes, we are looking for a new face. However, we are yet to decide on the selection of candidates. There are many aspirants so we will see,” Dhar said.
He informed that the party likely will be able to announce the name of its official candidate for Shillong seat by the end of this month.
When asked, Dhar said, “In terms of vote share percentage, we are much higher than the other political parties in the last (2023) elections. So why should we face a challenge (from Shillong).”
“We got 3.15 lakh plus vote share while United Democratic Party (UDP) got only 2.90 lakh, Congress 1.60 lakh and Voice of the People Party (VPP) with only 1 lakh plus. So we very much has an upper hand (on the Shillong seat),” he said.
He also added that “With the joining of Gavin and Bantei, our vote share has increased, we nearly touch 3.60 lakh now. Further, with the entering of Shangpliang we will get more now. By now our vote bank is 3.70 lakh I think.”
The deputy chief minister said that the NPP is determined to snatch away the Shillong seat from the Congress.
Further, Dhar informed that as far as Tura parliamentary seat is concerned, the party will again field the sitting MP Agatha K Sangma.