SHILLONG:
The National People’s Party (NPP) on October 31 announced its decision to field tourism promoter Allan West Kharkongor as its official candidate from Sohra constituency for the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections in the state.
His candidature was declared by NPP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Dr WR Kharlukhi at a meeting – to formally welcome him – held in the presence of party national president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and national vice president and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
Kharkongor is currently the chairman of the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Development Forum (MRTDF) and was a former member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) during the leadership of late Purno A Sangma.
Stating that he has joined the NPP with a cause, Kharkongor said, “I urge Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong to consider fulfilling the long pending aspiration of the people by giving Sohra a district.”
Lauding the government for its bold decision on many important issues concerning the state, he said, “Even the border issue, which no one expected the government would be able to resolve, is now being resolved. This government has been able to fulfill the many aspirations of the people and I believe giving Sohra a district will also not be a problem for the government.”
He said that the people of Sohra are expecting to get a district as a Christmas gift. “When Tynsong had requested me to contest I told him that time was too limited but when I think again I realized that Sohra has many issues, and demand for a district was a long pending issue, that is why I joined the party today for a cause,” he added.
Kharkongor also thanked the chief minister for assuring the Sohra District Demand Forum (SDDF) that the government is keen to reinitiate and examine the demand for upgrading Sohra civil sub division to a district.
Later while addressing the meeting, Conrad Sangma said there are many areas that require a lot of focus in Sohra constituency.
“Be it the issue of the district, be it the issue of MCCL, be it the issue of overall eco-restoration and many other issues that are there which needs to be taken into consideration, a person like Allan West will be able to do justice to all of these issues and concerns – that is the reason why this is a special day for me,” he said.
The NPP chief said he was also happy to see that all the issues taken up by Kharkongor are moving forward and his commitment to the cause for the people of his area and for East Khasi Hills and Meghalaya as a whole is bearing fruits today and we are seeing results at the grassroot level.
On the eco-restoration project for Sohra, Sangma said, “It is a massive project that will be closed to Rs 1,200 crore and this will require us to plan all the aspects of the restoration and hence the involvement of the locals including the traditional heads, social organizations and different religious organizations will be necessary to take this particular project forward.”
“And Allan Kharkongor, who has been somebody who has been working in the tourism sector his inputs and his overall efforts into this particular project will be very crucial to see that this project actually moves in the right direction and is going to yield the right results that we have in mind and hence all of these things are fallen into place as we speak,” he added.
Stating that he is very happy that people like Kharkongor are joining and will be contesting from the NPP, Sangma said, “A person like him tomorrow with God’s blessing and with the support of the Sohra constituency if he becomes your MLA it will not be just an MLA’s contribution at the MLA level but he will be a person who will be able to contribute immensely towards taking the state forward especially in the sector of tourism.”