Shillong, Sept 1: NPP leader and Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi said on Friday that the party will go it alone in the Lok Sabha polls for Shillong and Tura.
Speaking to reporters after the 11th foundation day celebration of the party and on the occasion of 76th birth anniversary of late PA Sangma, Kharlukhi, who is also the state party president, ruled out the possibility of a common candidate of the MDA.
He refused to comment to a question on whether the former MLA and BJP member HM Shangpliang will join the party and contest the LS polls from Shillong.
When asked, he said the vote share of the NPP is more than others though there are not many MLAs of the party in Khasi-Jaintia Hills region
No unity among NE MPs
The NPP leader said the problems of the region are lingering in the absence of unity among the North East MPs.
“Look at Manipur, there are only one or two MPs ,so also other states , we don’t have a unified voice “, Kharlukhi said to a question why there is a delay in giving recognition to Khasi language.
He also said besides the demand to recognise Khasi-Garo language, ILP is also pending as ‘our voice’ is not heard by Delhi, he added.
Projecting NPP as an alternative, the Rajya Sabha member said the party will field candidates in the Northeastern states and elsewhere in the country for the Lok Sabha polls as the party can address the issues of the tribal population in the country.
“The party is targeting to win 15-20 seats from the North East region in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Yes, we will try to put up candidates all over the NE. If NPP can win in the whole of NE, which we are projecting and targeting 15-20 MPs, our voice will be heard in the parliament. If not, the simple case of the vice chancellor, the simple case of the director of NEIGRIHMS nobody will listen to us,” Kharlukhi said.
