SHILLONG: The proposal to form a new political grouping under the banner of “One North East,” which includes the National People’s Party (NPP), Tipra Motha, and others, has generated intense controversy in the state, particularly following accusations made by Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President, Vincent H. Pala.
Pala alleged that the formation of this ‘One North East’ group is merely a “tactical ploy” of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP. He claimed that this is a strategy to divide the anti-BJP votes across the entire North East region.
Responding to this accusation, the Chief Minister and National President of the NPP, Conrad K. Sangma, strongly denied the claims.
Sangma sharply criticized the Congress, stating, “The MPCC’s accusation that the formation of this group is to divide the non-BJP votes is wrong because we no longer need to divide the Congress voters, as the Congress is already divided.”
He emphasized that the Congress already has major internal differences. “The Congress is already split; they might sit at the same table to talk, but internally they have their own separate plans,” he added.
Furthermore, Conrad Sangma clarified that the goal of the NPP and the ‘One North East’ grouping is clear: they come together in the same group not to oppose anyone.
”We come here from a positive perspective, to unify, and to convey the message of unity for the entire region,” he said, adding that only when the North East states unite will they be able to project their voice onto the political space and better serve the people of the region.
Reacting to speculations about the possibility of UDP leader and MLA Paul Lyngdoh joining NPP, Sangma admitted that they are close friends and often discuss politics. However, he maintained that it is “too early” to comment on whether Bah Paul will join the NPP.
”Political discussion will certainly continue, but the time is still too early to elaborate. We will wait for the appropriate time to confirm whether he will join the NPP or not,” he said..
