GUWAHATI: The National People’s Party (NPP), which heads Meghalaya’s ruling coalition, is taking a small step into Assam but with a bigger goal in mind.
With some mainland India-based political parties contesting the April 9 Assam elections, the NPP is contesting three of the state’s 126 seats in its maiden electoral foray into Assam.
The party fielded MLA Mohammed Aminul Islam in the Mankachar seat, Daniel Langthasa in Haflong and Ganseng B Sangma in Boko-Chaygaon.
Langthasa and Sangma are tribals.
Mankachar lies in the South Salmara-Mankachar district, Haflong is present in the Dima Hasao district, and Boko-Chaygaon is in the Kamrup district, respectively.
The three districts share their borders with Meghalaya.
Two of the constituencies, Haflong and Boko-Chaygaon, have sizeable tribal populations, reflecting the NPP’s tribal outreach.
NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the party identified a few select constituencies as it was striving to expand its base.
“We have long aimed to expand our base across the Northeast. Assam was one state we had not explored, although we stayed in touch with leaders in some constituencies,” Sangma told mediapersons.
He said the sustained engagements led to the party’s decision to contest from these three seats. “It should be viewed as part of a broader, long-term strategy,” he added.
A candid Meghalaya Chief Minister said the goal was more about solidifying the party’s organisational strength than immediate electoral gains.
“Let’s not construe it as a political journey from merely an election point of view,” Sangma said, calling it a process and the beginning of a commitment to Assam.
“We hope to open our account in this Assam election,” he added.
Founded by former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, NPP is the only national party from the Northeast. Earlier, it contested elections in Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, and bagged seats.
Other than Meghalaya, Manipur is the only state where the party currently has representation in the Assembly. It has six MLAs.
The All India Trinamool Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha are also contesting the Assam elections in 23 and 21 seats, respectively.
