SHILLONG:
National People’s Party (NPP) is confident of winning 34-35 seats and retaining power in 2023 as the party-led MDA government has performed well.
Cabinet minister Sniawbhalang Dhar told reporters on August 29 that NPP will no doubt cross the half-way mark in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
“We are confident of getting 34-35 seats and be the single largest party,” he added.
The three-time MLA of Nartiang said that the NPP-led MDA government has performed well during the past four-and-a-half years and because of this, people of the state will ensure the NPP is voted back to power.
“People are very clever as they know that the MDA government has done lots of development for the state,” he said.
Dhar said the NPP was growing from strength to strength and not less than eight sitting legislators from different political parties are all set to join the party ahead of the elections adding it could even go up to 10 after three months.
“People, including potential leaders, are joining the NPP every day and that itself shows we are in a strong position,” he said.
He said the NPP’s strength lay in its unity and there is no team A, B or C. “That is the discipline of the NPP in Meghalaya,” he said.
Dhar said the Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, is the leader of the party and hopefully will continue to be the in the chair in the next term also.
He refused to comment when asked if the next chief minister could be from the Khasi Hills region urging that Meghalaya is one. “Please don’t try to divide us based on communities. We are one whether Garo or Khasi,” he said.
On allegations of corruption made by the opposition AITC, Dhar, however, said, “It is the duty of the opposition to make allegations but only the results will tell.”
“Ruling is ruling and opposition is opposition, there is a huge difference between them and us…whether you do right or wrong it is the duty of opposition to criticise the government,” he added.
With regard to alleged ongoing illegal coal mining, Dhar said, “We are trying to deal with the issue and take action against such illegalities as a government but it is also difficult for officers to check all these but they are trying their level best.”
Meanwhile, the NPP leader also predicted that the AITC will not win more than seven seats. He said the AITC despite being a new entrant in Meghalaya politics will not have any impact in Khasi Jaintia Hills regions of the state. “The impact may be little bit in Garo Hills from where they will get below seven seats,” he said.
Dhar said that the NPP will be fighting against the United Democratic Party in most of the constituencies in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills regions.