NPP is fighting against friends and rivals in Meghalaya

It's a battle against both friends and rivals for the homegrown National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya.

The NPP, the first party from the Northeast to have got the status of a national party in 2019, is pitted against the Opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress in one hand three of its allies BJP, United Democratic Party (UDP) and Hills State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) on the other.

In the 2018 Assembly elections, the NPP had won 19 out of 16 seats and stitched an alliance with BJP, UDP, HSPDP and a few other regional parties in order to deny Congress its third straight term in Meghalaya. Led by two-time Chief Minister Mukul Sangma (2008-18), Congress was NPP's main contender then and had emerged as the single largest party with 21 seats.

The NPP, this time, has set a target of absolute majority. "The kind of development people witnessed in the past five years, Meghalaya did not see in 50 years of its statehood. But Meghalaya needs a stable government and I hope people will keep this in mind and give the NPP an absolute majority," Conrad said, recently. "We have not only created infrastructure and laid the base for jobs creation but have taken steps towards improving governance," Conrad, son of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma further said. PA Sangma, the nine time Lok Sabha member from Tura in Meghalaya, had established NPP in 2013 after he was expelled from NCP.

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The NPP, however, is facing serious charges of corruption ahead of elections on February 27. "The NPP has set new standards of corruption in Meghalaya. So people will vote them out this time," Ernest Mawrie, the president of BJP's Meghalaya unit, alleged on February 8. Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said BJP severed its ties with the NPP in order to contest elections in all 60 seats and provide Meghalaya a corruption free government and take the state towards development. BJP has even fielded Bernard N Marak, a former militant-turned BJP leader in Garo Hills against Conrad in South Tura seat. Marak was arrested in July last year for alleged involvement in sexual abuse of a minor girl inside his farm house. He was, however, granted bail in November.

BJP's manifesto also promised to set up an inquiry committee headed by a Supreme Court Judge for investigation into alleged corruption in Meghalaya in the past five years. The corruption allegations, however, has confused many as BJP was a minor partner in the MDA government and NPP is still part of NDA and North East Democratic Alliance, a forum of BJP and its allies in the Northeast.

NPP is contesting in 57 seats while UDP has put up candidates in 47 seats. The UDP had bagged six seats in 2018. The HSPDP, which had won in two seats in 2018, is contesting in 11 seats.

Many, however, believe that this could be part of a strategy to divide the opposition votes, where there is strong anti-incumbency and thereby deny Trinamool's victory.

Trinamool Congress did not win a seat in 2018 elections but became the principal opposition party after Mukul and 11 other MLAs including former Speaker Charlse Pyngrope joined Mamta Banerjee's party in November 2021. TMC, this time, has emerged as the main contender for the NPP.