TMC legislature party leader and former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma on Friday declared that the United Democratic Party (UDP) is the leader of the new regional party alliance. Dr. Sangma, further said, the chief minister can be from the khasi hills. What is the problem?
The regional parties in Meghalaya are backed by AITC and Congress.
Stating that the regional force has numbers, Dr. Sangma said, the resolve to come together has already been finalized.
“As of now we are discussing under the largest party- the UDP so it’s simple, not complicated to draw an assumption and conclusion,” he told reporters when asked who is the leader of the new alliance.
The United Democratic Party (UDP) secured 11 seats in the recently concluded Assembly election in the state, with both TMC and Congress securing 5 seats each. The VPP secured 4 seats while both PDF and HSPDP were 2 each.
On the demand to have Khasi Chief Minister, he urged people of the three hills to come together for the betterment of the state.
“Whatever demand, whatever issues, whatever priorities, whatever concern and whatever conditions- it’s an internal exercise, there is no such khasi or Garo, the chief minister can be from the khasi hills what is the problem? There is no problem, we have had late BB Lyngdoh, We had late EK Mawlong, and we had late Captain Williamson Sangma, “ Dr. Sangma added.
Asked if the parties have numbers with them as the NPP national President Conrad K Sangma has claimed to have the support of 32 MLAs, the former Chief Minister said, “Don’t worry for the number we know how to get the number. “
About the meeting, he said, “That’s why we are meeting; the numbers can be claimed and counterclaimed.”
Meanwhile, the TMC legislature party leader and former chief minister Dr. Mukul Sangma has asked all political parties to ensure that the state is not subjected again to unprecedented plundering that has damaged the state’s fiscal health by stopping the same people from forming the government.
Sangma was attending a meeting held with leaders of different political parties – UDP, VPP, Congress, PDF and HSPDP – to explore the possibility of forming a non-NPP-BJP government in the state.
Stating that the fractured mandate given by the people is for a change, the Songsak legislator said that this is because like never before the state was confronted by unpleasant issues pertaining to the alleged irregularities and alleged corruption.
He said that the mandate is very loud and clear that the people do not want the state to be subjected to a similar kind of plundering that they have been witnessing in the preceding five years.
“Therefore, the political parties must understand that along with this mandate comes their responsibility, a huge responsibility which revolves around on a priority of protecting the interest of the state and coming together and working together for the larger good of the people, that is the only sole responsibility that is vested upon each one of us,” Sangma said.
He said that the meeting of the political parties today was to discuss the need to come together and stand firm in our commitment to ensure that the state is not subjected again to that kind of misrule and unprecedented plundering that has inflicted irreversible damage to the state’s fiscal health and also force the state to have an infamous tag of being named as the number one corrupt state in the whole country.
“We want to ensure that this infamous tag of being the number one corrupt state in the country does not become synonymous with our beautiful state. It is our responsibility therefore for each of us to see that it can happen if we stop the same people from forming the government,” he added.
When asked, Sangma informed that they have not decided on the name of the alliance but to resolve to come together has already been finalized.