Shillong, May 7: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday (May 7) declared Khasi Authors Society president DRL Nonglait as the candidate of the party to contest the Shillong bypoll.
He was first inducted into the party before NPP national president made the announcement.
Appreciating the participation of over 10,000 people at the announcement event, Sangma said, “I don’t think any political party can have a better candidate than Dr DRL Nonglait, a person who believes that it is deeds that matter more, a person who has walked the talk, a person who has proved himself and a person who believes in uniting our people and not dividing them.”
He appreciated the hardwork and contribution of Nonglait resulting in language recognition.
“Thank you Dr Nonglait because of you and I repeat because of you and the Khasi Authors’ Society and Achik Society… Thank you Dr Nonglait for your effort because of which today Khasi and Garo are also official languages,” he said.
The turnout exceeded expectations, the chief minister noted.
“I was just informed by our working president Hamletson Dohling… he said sir we had prepared this venue and arrangement for 3000 people but we have calculated that there are approximately 10,000 people who have come here today… the message that is there in the kind of support that we are seeing today for the candidature of Dr DRL Nonglait and for the NPP is truly encouraging,” Sangma said.
He said the NPP stood apart from “divisive politics.”
“While there are political parties who are hell bent on dividing the state and playing divisive politics… here there is a political party that believes in humanity, that believes in loving all communities, that believes in uniting our people and taking our state forward in the path of development,” he said.
Regarding Nonglait’s profile, Sangma said, “I am truly honoured that today we have been able to officially welcome an individual, a human being, a man who needs no introduction, apart from being among the top ten professors among the Khasis in Meghalaya, apart from being in the Khasi Authors Society for more than 22 years for being the president for more than 12 years… Dr Nonglait in one word is a simple and a down to earth human being, who loves the people and who loves the state. Dr Nonglait has set an example of commitment, of perseverance, of non-violence, and proved that if your intentions are right, if your heart is in the right place, and your determination is unshakable, we will achieve our goals one day,” he said.
He contrasted Dr Nonglait’s approach with “street politics.”
“There are certain political parties who believe in street politics, who believe that creating a problem and creating violence… Dr Nonglait stands as an example to show that as a citizen of this country… I will achieve my goal through non-violence, through democratic ways and through constitutional ways,” Sangma said.
Describing the candidature as “God’s plan,” he added, “What is happening today in this historic moment that is nothing short of God’s plan for Shillong seat, Khasi-Jaintia region, God’s plan for our parliament, God’s plan for our state of Meghalaya and God’s plan for our family of the NPP.”
Conrad said Dr Nonglait’s next task would be in Parliament.
“I truly believe that the way Dr Nonglait has captained the ship that led to the declaration of Khasi and Garo as official languages of our state, I believe his work is only half done… it is God’s plan that it is through Dr Nonglait that we will be able to take our demands further to the next step in parliament… and ensure that Khasi and Garo language are brought in the Eighth Schedule list of the Indian Constitution,” he said.
He argued that an MP from the ruling side would help the state.
“Working along and working with a team that is in the ruling is very different from having a representative who is from the opposition… I urge the people of Khasi and Jaintia region, help us, work with us, so that we can have a stronger positioning along with our Centre government,” he said.
Regarding NPP’s journey, Sangma said, “In the last 12-13 years, our party has grown from strength to strength not because of any individual but because in the NPP, we are a family, we are united and we ensure that we keep our people before any personal interest or action, for us it is our deeds that matters.”
He stressed the need of maintaining discipline and grassroots work. “There are times in a political party when we ourselves start pointing fingers at each other… Let us refrain and let us ensure every word coming from our mouth… should be a positive note,” he said.
The chief minister asked the party workers to work tirelessly in the next 90 days or till the election is being held.
Conrad said there is a need to ensure that grassroot mechanism is there… ‘ensure this campaign becomes a full grassroot campaign all the way to every single village and polling station’.
The deputy chief ministers, Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, cabinet ministers, MLAs, MDCs and party members were present.
