Meghalaya coalition partners to battle ‘head-on solo’ in 2023 assembly polls

The ruling NPP, which also is the largest constituent with 21 legislators too is confident of going to the battle and winning alone. NPP said it will field its candidates in all 60 seats

Ahead of the state elections in Meghalaya, which goes to polls next year, the coalition partners in the state, including the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), said they will stick to contesting the 2023 elections ‘on their own’.

Meghalaya chief minister and NPP chief Conrad K Sangma (PTI Photo)

The coalition parties include the ruling NPP, United Democratic Party (UDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The polls are likely to be held in February next year.

Meghalaya BJP president Ernest Mawrie expressed confidence in the party saying that the BJP is doing extremely well ahead of the 2023 polls.

“We aim to form the government and by winning a substantial number of seats, maybe even cross the halfway margin,” he told HT over the phone, adding “BJP will form the government to give the people what they deserve.”

The other partner, UDP, which is the second largest in size with eight MLAs, announced the first list of candidates for 32 constituencies on Tuesday. These include sitting legislators, councillors and some political greenhorns.

Expressing confidence towards the party, UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh his party is doing better than before. “We will come out stronger this time and we believe the people are with us. We have been working hard to strengthen the party across the state and hope that this will bear fruit,” he said.

The HSPDP, which has a strong base in West and South West Khasi Hills, is expected to do reasonably well in a couple of seats in these areas. The party is yet to formally release its list of candidates.

The ruling NPP, which also is the largest constituent with 21 legislators too is confident of going to the battle and winning alone. NPP said it will field its candidates in all 60 seats.

“We have set the things in motion and as per the direction of our national president Conrad K Sangma have begun the process of constituting the election committee,” NPP state president and Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi told journalists.

Kharlukhi said the party intends to set up candidates in all 60 seats since the procession of leaders from other parties to the NPP camp means that there will be no dearth of candidates.

“Coalition rules the roost in Meghalaya politics but the endeavour of the NPP is to emerge as the single largest party and run the government alone,” Kharlukhi said.

Meanwhile, Meghalaya chief minister and NPP national president Sangma, stating that the party went solo in 2018, said, “We have decided to go solo not just in Meghalaya but also the other state elections around the region, including Nagaland and Tripura. As a party, we need to work for the sentiments and the aspirations of our people and our state.”