Shillong, Apr 8 (Representative) Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) Chief, Conrad Sangma, said on Sunday that his party would always be the first to stand up for indigenous communities of the northeastern states. “NPP may be a partner of the NDA coalition, but when it comes to the issue of the people of the Northeast and the indigenous communities, the NPP will always be the first to stand up for the rights of the people,” Sangma said as he wrapped up his three-day election campaign tour to Arunachal Pradesh. The NPP, which won five seats in the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh assembly elections, has fielded 22 candidates for the April 19 elections to the 60-member Assembly. However, the NPP is supporting the BJP candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh. During his campaign tour, he visited Longding, Leparada, and Dumporjio in Arunachal Pradesh. The NPP chief was accompanied by the party’s National Treasurer, Dr. Mehtab Agitok Sangma, and National General Secretary in Charge of Organization, James Sangma. “We will work with the NDA. We have an alliance, but whenever we have to fight for the cause of Northeastern, Arunachal Pradesh, or Meghalaya, we will stand up for our people. I assure you that we will always stand up and fight for our people,” he said. “NPP believes in the interest of our people, and whatever decision we take, we will keep our people and our country first,” he said, while adding, “people have given their mandate to us, and we cannot break the trust of our people. We shall work with passion and full commitment to further the interests of our people.” Sangma said the NPP believes in the interests of our people, and whatever decision it takes, it will keep the people and the country first. “People have given their mandate to us, and we cannot break the trust of our people. We shall work with passion and full commitment to further the interests of our people,” the NPP supremo said.
Talking about the development and economic growth of Arunachal Pradesh, he said, “We need good people on our team with experience and vision.” Sangma said the NPP has many retired administrative officers and government servants who have joined the party to work as a team to further the development and growth of the region. Seeking the mandate of the people for 22 candidates who are fielded in the State of Arunachal for the ensuing Assembly election, he said, “We need the right candidates to voice and articulate our concerns, and the NPP has carefully chosen candidates who can truly represent the voice of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.” Talking about Meghalaya’s growth model, he said, “In my state, we have initiated programs for the farmers, women, and youth. We have streamlined interventions that will directly and indirectly enhance the socio-economic condition of our people. Our entrepreneurship programs have won accolades from the Government of India and international agencies for the best start-up ecosystem. We believe that our candidates, when elected, will take a cue from our model and replicate the same in Arunachal Pradesh.” Reminding the gathering of (L) Purno Agitok Sangma’s vision for the Northeast and its people, he said, “His ideals (Purno) were simple; he wanted that the diverse communities of the region should come together to make their voice heard, loud and clear, in Delhi. Our communities have no political unity, and hence Purno floated the NPP as a united forum to voice the concerns of our people.” “In a democracy, the number is important, and if we want to make Delhi take us seriously, we have to empower our own homegrown party so that we are taken seriously and our concerns are addressed,” he added. In the past, he said Delhi would ignore the MPs from the Northeast if they raised their concern, but the scenario is slowly changing as the leaders of the region have been able to unitedly stand for the cause of the people. “We should take conscious political decisions and choose leaders who can articulate our aspirations and our voice,” he said.