Shillong, Jan 31: In a setback for the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya, as many as seven hundred of its members and workers joined the BJP. These had been supporters of the NPP candidate from the Ranikor constituency Martin M Danggo.
Those who left had been led by Pelcy Snaitang (woman leader from Ranikor), and among them were ex-MDC Manstudy Nongrem, Lastbon Pariong (chief adviser of NPP Ranikor), Christopher Lyngdoh (youth president of NPP Ranikor), Lengna Sangma (vice president of NPP Ranikor), PK Nongmin (vice president of NPP Ranikor), Justik Hashah (youth vice president of NPP Ranikor), and Santosh Sangma (senior leader of NPP Ranikor).
Stating that the connection between the Ranikor NPP management and the state party leadership was not smooth, Pelcy said, “We joined NPP because we wanted to support Danggo in Ranikor and make him win again in the upcoming election, but in the past one-two month, we found that our relationship with the NPP state body was not comfortable. Now, as you know, the election is very near and we had to make a decision. We, the Danggo supporters, will try our best to make him win the election. That’s why all the Danggo supporters from Ranikor have taken the decision to leave the NPP and then we requested our candidate.”
She additionally claimed that the Original Danggo consists of 12,000 members, Original Don Massar has more than 3,000, and the Original Pelcy group also has nearly 2,000.
“Initially we had been in NPP after which we switched over to BJP. We need BJP in our constituency. This is a mass resignation. Since leaders are resigning, we supporters may even resign,” stated TD Marak, one of the supporters of Danggo.
While pointing out that their leader is MM Danggo, the supporters said a total of around 13,000 are resigning from the NPP to join the BJP.
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“We are in large numbers resigning from NPP and joining BJP. We are the supporters of Martin Danggo,” stated some other supporter Sanjay Lama.
“We have decided to join and support BJP this election. Our candidate is MM Danggo. We support him and have resigned from NPP. We liked BJP and we want our leader to contest from BJP. We are from Maheskola, Ranikor, and adjoining areas, and we will work for BJP now,” stated Polindro M Marak.
Speaking to reporters, BJP state vice president Dipayan Chakraborty stated, “Under the leadership of Pelcy Snaitang, they have joined the BJP. We welcome them and it is a great move because on the eve of elections when we are supposed to go for the nominations, the local committee was dissolved and there was mass resignation from the NPP.”
He stated that every local has started to understand that the Conrad K Sangma-led government has failed miserably as people’s expectations have not been met in the last five years.
Asked about Danggo possibly joining the BJP, he said they are expecting to hear some good news from Ranikor within a day or two.
“We are hearing that he will be joining the party as most of his supporters have joined the BJP. So we hope within a day or two we will hear some good news from Ranikor,” he said.
Expressing confidence that the BJP will lead the government after the elections, Chakraborty also maintained that the party will not need the NPP if it gets 30 seats.
“If BJP has 25, we are going to head the government. That is also speculation. Let us see. We are going to the people so the people are going to give their verdict. In politics today, I cannot give this answer because it is after the people give their verdict that the calculation starts. So we have to see for the better interest of the people. Once we go back to the people, they have to answer. If people give us 30 -31 seats, we don’t need NPP,” he said.
Martin M Danggo said he is yet to get official communication from his leaders and supporters but will go as per the wishes of his people.
Danggo also stated that “I heard my supporters had met and they decided to leave NPP and go to BJP. But I am yet to receive the communication officially from my leaders and supporters”.
