NPP will get absolute majority, says Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma says after filing his nomination

Filing his nomination papers for the Assembly elections on February 27, Meghalaya CM and President of National People's Party (NPP) Conrad Sangma on Saturday said that there is a wave in favour of his party and exuded confidence about getting an absolute majority.

NPP now leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in which BJP is a minor ally with just two MLAs. The NPP, however, is contesting the polls in all 60 constituencies with a target for absolute majority.

"In this political scenario, I see the trend that NPP is heading towards getting absolute majority and we are confident that we will get it,” Sangma told reporters after filing his nomination from South Tura seat. Conrad is seeking a re-election from South Tura.

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Before filing the nomination, the NPP chief accompanied by his wife visited the grave of his late father and former CM, PA Sangma, in Tura, to seek his blessings.

The 45-year-old Conrad became the CM in 2018 after the NPP stitched an alliance with BJP and other regional parties and thereby denied Congress led by former Mukul Sangma its third straight term. Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 18 seats.

Mukul, time time, however, is leading the Trinamool Congress, which has emerged as the main contender for both NPP and BJP. The BJP is also contesting in all 60 seats.

Conrad said his party would highlight the developmental works done in the past five years while seeking votes for an absolute majority.
"We have laid the foundation for development in the last five years, it is time to take things forward to the next level. The continuity is important to ensure that we’ll be able to achieve those goals."

Calls TMC an outsider:

Conrad on Friday once again called Trinamool Congress as an outsider in Meghalaya and claimed that Mamata Banerjee's party will not get more than three seats.
"I have said that it’s (TMC) an outsider party based on the analogy where Madam Mamata Banerjee herself has said in the last West Bengal elections that BJP and other national parties are outside parties. I have said that if the same yardstick is applied to Meghalaya, then with those yardsticks, which Mamata Banerjee has herself mentioned in her speech in elections, then TMC is an outside party," he said.
TMC, however, countered Conrad saying that their party is run by sons and daughters of Meghalaya's soil and not by BJP leaders from Guwahati and Delhi, as the NPP is being run.