Don't waste vote on other parties, pledge support for NPP: Meghalaya CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday called upon the people to not "waste" their votes supporting the TMC, claiming that the National People's Party (NPP) will form the government in the upcoming Assembly polls.

"It is no point in supporting TMC or any other parties. NPP is set to form the Government. Let us not waste our vote and come out to vote and pledge support for NPP," he said while addressing a crowd at Dadenggre, where he campaigned for his elder brother and party candidate James PK Sangma, who is also the incumbent legislator from the constituency.

Terming TMC leader and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma as a dictator, he alleged, "He (Mukul) may have joined TMC but he is the same person, who has killed innocent civilians. Garo Hills will never forget the September 30 incident, where nine lives were lost."

"Mukul Sangma left Congress, as he thought there was no future in Congress party but he failed to calculate that the people of Garo Hills will never accept a party that is from outside when they have the option to choose a party from its own State," he added.

Further accusing Mukul of using force and not initiating dialogue to resolve issues and conflict, Conrad said NPP believes in carrying forward the views of the people. "We will never do anything that is against the aspiration of the people. NPP as a party always stands to protect and safeguard the interest of our people," he said.

He also told the gathering that if voted to power, the popular demand for the creation of a new district with Dadenggre as headquarters will be the priority of the government.

Meghalaya will go to Assembly polls on February 27, and the votes will be counted on March 2, along with Tripura and Nagaland.