NPP to form Govt with absolute majority in 2023: Dr Kharlukhi
National People’s Party (NPP) state chief Dr WR Kharlukhi on Saturday expressed confidence that his party will form a government with absolute majority to ensure there will be no more coalition government in 2023.
“I request all of you to please work very hard as in 2023 we will be forming the government with absolute majority and no more coalition government,” Dr Kharlukhi said while addressing the meeting of the NPP North Shillong Block Executive Committee held at Mawkhar.
He recalled that the first and the last time Meghalaya witnessed government formation with absolute majority was when the APHLC was voted to power in 1972 and said, “Therefore, we need to work harder to break this record by getting absolute majority in order to have a stable government so that we can take the state forward.”
When asked, Dr Kharlukhi said the NPP is fighting in not less than 54 seats in Khasi, Jaintia and Garo hills. “It should be easy for us to get the majority…” he added.
The NPP is fielding former PWD (Building) executive engineer Ransom Sutnga from North Shillong, which is currently being represented by lone KHNAM legislator Adelbert Nongrum.
Urging the workers to work hard to ensure victory to Sutnga, Dr Kharlukhi said, “I request you don’t make North Shillong – erstwhile Mawkhar constituency – a laughing stock of Meghalaya.”
He reminded that the constituency had produced many leaders and stalwarts of the state and that the constituency was the heart of the hill state movement. In 1972, Mawkhar voted for Alexander Warjri who also later became MP of Rajya Sabha while in 1978, Darwin Diengdoh was elected as MLA and in the same year he was elected as chief minister of Meghalaya and in 1983-88, the constituency had voted for Korbar Sing and his performance as a legislator was outstanding.
Stating that the NPP was formed in 2012 with the objective to bring unity among the tribals of the North East region, the lone Rajya Sabha MP from the state said, “Therefore, the target of our party is not only to win the elections in Meghalaya. The target is to win elections in all states of the NE region to unite the people and to go to Delhi as “one voice one NE”.”
The NPP has two MLAs in Nagaland, 7 in Manipur and 5 in Arunachal Pradesh.
He said there are 25 MPs from the North East region in the Lok Sabha and around 20 MPs in Rajya Sabha.
“The NPP is a regional party with a national outlook. Its top priority is the people of the NE. But these national parties are national parties with a regional outlook, national parties will look for their national interest, they will not look after the regional interest. Therefore, it is high time that we go to Delhi not to beg but to demand.”
The NPP state chief further slammed the Centre for keeping mum on issues concerning the people and the state of Meghalaya.
“You look at ILP, we have passed an official resolution but the Centre is keeping mum on the issue.The Centre was about to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in all states of NE but that could be prevented through a meeting convened by Conrad K Sangma at Guwahati with all CMs of NE,” he said.
He also expressed regrets that the Centre did not give a chance for a local tribal to head the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) as vice chancellor. “One of the five names shortlisted was a local. They should have taken the performance of Dr B Pakem into consideration and given us a chance but they don’t…it can be politics as BJP here is also trying but no one is listening to them (in Delhi),” Dr Kharlukhi added.
Lauding the NPP-led MDA government for its bold decision to resolve the border dispute, the NPP state president said, “All this while the two states end up in maintaining status quo which means Meghalaya is rescinding and Assam is continuing to encroach. Therefore, only this government dares to take bold decisions to resolve the border issue.”
Appealing to the citizens to decide wisely in 2023, he said, “If what we are doing is right, support NPP, but don’t be fooled by those who claimed that they will undo the agreement signed with Assam (in respect of six areas of difference) as when they were in power, they don’t dare to do anything. Now when they are out of power, they claim and talk tough as if they are daring to take such an issue.”
He also asked: “When our people were killed in the firing at Langpih was there anybody who dared to arrest the Assam police, they were allowed to go scot-free. Therefore, our people residing on the border are being harassed and that is why the NPP government dared to take this bold decision.”
Dr Kharlukhi further pointed out that it was only when MDA government came to power long pending projects like the Vivanta (erstwhile Crowborough, which used to be known as an eyesore of Shillong – could see the light of day adding that Mariot hotel will also be inaugurated very soon.
He said that the chief minister had enquired about the manifesto but he told him that manifesto is for promising the people but there is need to also tell the people what the MDA government has done in the last five years.
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