Shillong, Dec 22: NPP national chief Conrad Sangma on Thursday denied that his party has offered money to a PDF leader and Cabinet minister to join its fold ahead of 2023 Assembly polls.
Sangma was reacting to the claim made by PDF leader Banteidor Lyngdoh that he had turned down the offer of Rs 5 crore to join the ruling NPP.
“This statement is coming out from him (Banteidor) so I don’t know and I am not aware about this and as per my knowledge it is factually incorrect,” Sangma told reporters.
He said that leaders and other people are attracted to join the NPP because they have seen a large amount of development work that has taken place in the state during the last four and a half years.
“In the last five years, no roads have been constructed than the last 20 years. Border issues that have been left out have been taken up, farmers and self-help groups have been helped like never before. Youth programmes to facilitate the youth and games like the Meghalaya games and the different programmes like NEOG or the infrastructure we have created for the youths have happened like never before,” he added.
“These are the facts that attract the leaders who are coming in today and wanting to join because seeing the support that is coming for the party, they are seeing that this party has delivered to a large extent – of course there is a lot more to be done – we are not saying that everything has been done but we are moving in the right direction,” he said.
Expressing confidence to a get a positive response from the people of the state in 2023, the NPP chief said, “…we are expecting that people will give a much more stronger mandate to the NPP and therefore in this manner, the NPP is attracting these people who want to work with the party which has delivered to a large extent…that is why they are joining us.”
On the allegations against the NPP for misusing the FOCUS and FOCUS+ schemes, the chief minister reiterated that people can make any kind of statements but the fact is that these programmes have been implemented for the last two years in the different parts of the state.
“It is not a new scheme… but if somebody would like to draw and give some political colour to it then that is the particular person’s observation, I have nothing to say about this. But this is a programme and a scheme which we have made universal. There are certain criteria you have to follow and as long as you follow those criteria you are eligible to get the benefits,” he added.
