NPP to play major role in Mizoram Assembly poll: Conrad Sangma

The National People's Party (NPP) will play a major role in the November 28 state Assembly poll in Mizoram, party president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said here Sunday.

The NPP is part of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre and a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

In Meghalaya, the NPP is the major partner of the ruling MDA alliance while in Nagaland and Manipur it is also part of the ruling alliance.

The party was formally launched in Mizoram last month.

"We are confident that the people of Mizoram will accept us and give us an opportunity to champion their cause and concerns," the Meghalaya chief minister told reporters on the sidelines of a programme.

He claimed that a sitting Congress MLA had joined the NPP Saturday and many others have indicated their interest in contesting the elections to the 40-member house on NPP ticket.

When contacted, NPP national secretary Dr Lalrina told PTI in Aizawl that that no sitting Congress legislator had joined the NPP till Sunday evening.

Another senior leader of the NPP in charge of Mizoram told PTI here that the people in Mizoram may not be "very comfortable" with the BJP and had enough of the "misrule" of the Congress.

"The NPP is the only alternative party, the people can vote for," he said.

The NPP is projecting itself as a pan-North East party and will remain as the only party that will be vocal and continue to fight on behalf of the people of the region, the senior leader said.