The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday proposed a grand alliance with Meghalaya's ruling Congress and other regional parties in the state to take on former colleague PA Sangma's newly launched National People's Party (NPP).
"The NCP is a coalition partner of the Congress at the centre and Maharashtra. Both parties had a pre-poll alliance and therefore forging an alliance with the Congress in Meghalaya shouldn't be a problem," said NCP leader Robert Kharshiing.
With Sangma's exit, the NCP-Congress ties in Meghalaya would set a new tone. "I will meet Chief Minister Mukul Sangma soon and explore this idea," he added.
The NCP, of which Sangma was a key member until he contested against Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential polls, is also eyeing on the pre-poll alliance with the regional United Democratic Party and Hill State People's Democratic Party — now coalition partners of the Congress in the Meghalaya United Alliance government.
Meghalaya is scheduled to go for assembly polls in February next year.
I am hundred percent sure that the Congress high command will accept our proposal (pre-poll alliance) and I will be speaking to leaders of other regional parties," Kharshiing said.
{{/usCountry}}I am hundred percent sure that the Congress high command will accept our proposal (pre-poll alliance) and I will be speaking to leaders of other regional parties," Kharshiing said.
{{/usCountry}}Sangma launched the NPP in Meghalaya Friday. His sons James K. Sangma and Conrad K. Sangma are among 12 NCP legislators who joined the new party.
In the 60-member assembly, the NCP has 14 legislators including suspended legislator Adolf Lu Hitler R. Marak.