‘I want NPP to be the voice of Northeast region in national politics’

NPP is looking for a larger role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Meghalaya CM Sangma tells DH

National People’s Party (NPP) president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is fighting for re-election next month. While the primary Opposition, Congress, is seen to have disintegrated, Sangma tells DH’s Amrita Madhukalya that underestimating Congress would be unwise and that NPP is looking at a larger role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Excerpts.

Since the last elections, 11 MLAs from regional parties have joined your NPP. Are we looking at little or no contest in Meghalaya this time?

For me, as a politician, every election is tough, only the circumstances change over time. It may be different, but it does not mean it is easier. There are other kinds of challenges – there are expectations from the electorate when you have run a state for a full term. In some cases, the anti-incumbency aspect comes into play. One cannot take any election for granted. It is still a tough election.

Of the nine states headed to polls in 2023, Meghalaya is the only one where neither BJP nor Congress have a formidable role in these elections. Is it a case where regional entities are taking the mandate?

The people of the state have seen the political scenario, and it so happens that there are political leaders who are from the state who have managed to respond to the people’s concerns better. We are a national party with a regional approach. There’s always a political space for any party in a state, and the NPP has managed the people’s concerns. The political scenario in the state has changed a lot with the Opposition breaking.

The TMC is a new entrant to the state’s politics. How does it change the dynamics, especially with former CM Mukul Sangma, who hails from your region in Tura, heading the state unit?

Everybody is a challenge, and so, I do not underestimate anybody. The fact that they are already a divided Opposition, and the fact that a united Congress was first broken into two and further divided into four groups speaks to the fact that they were not able to keep the team together. Somewhere, the leadership is also responsible for that. People have already seen the work that they had not seen in the years when there was a Congress government in Meghalaya. People will see that this is the old Congress with a new jersey; the same old players are in the TMC today.

What would you say are the key achievements of the NPP-led government in Meghalaya on which you are seeking votes?

I have said this on earlier occasions: I think this is a question of the mindset. In the past, we saw that a large number of people were not happy with the governance in the state. What we have done in the last few years is to bring in a sense of peace and brought in an idea among the people that development can be brought to our region. Meghalaya has the potential to become one of the best states in our country, and that is what we are working towards. There are several areas where we have brought in development, whether it is infrastructure, education, sports, youth affairs, farmers, etc.

In the last few months, border clashes with Assam at Mukroh have made headlines nationally. Is that an issue that needs resolving?

Absolutely, because this is an issue that has been around for the last 15 years. For the first time, in the last five years, we have seen a serious effort to find a solution. That’s important to note. It is unfortunate that there were some incidents that put a hurdle to the talks. But I am sure that ultimately, both the states and the people of the states will understand that the best way to stop the strife is to resolve the border issue. It will require deeper consultations, but I am sure that with a positive mindset and an intent to find a resolution, we will move towards it. I’m also sure that there will be a solution soon.

The protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the demand for a Uniform Civil Code saw you being on the other side of the fence from your ally BJP. How are BJP-NPP relations now?

The relationship between two political allies depends on how you deal with situations. If we were agreeing to everything, then we would be in the same party. We are different parties, and we have different stands on matters, and it means that we are individuals with different concerns. And this is par for the course in any alliance. We have our own focus areas, and we try and work towards them together, and we look at amicable ways when there is any disagreement.

What are NPP’s aspirations for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls?

We have always been clear that we strive to provide a strong platform as well as a voice for the Northeast region in national politics. We have always felt that the region has been very divided in terms of its political mandate, and maybe that is because there has been no political party to voice the opinions in the different states, tribes and communities. That is the space we are looking at, and we hope that the people of the Northeast will give us the numbers to be able to make our voice heard in parliament.