SHILLONG: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya is poised for a significant overhaul of its organisational structure, beginning with the state president’s position, as it prepares for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections scheduled for 2024.
According to the local press, leaders of the party made an impassioned plea for an extensive revamp of the party’s structure in the run-up to these crucial polls in a meeting chaired by the national president and Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, recently.
Furthermore, party leaders have also urged the high command to expedite the announcement of candidates for both the Lok Sabha and Meghalaya District Council (MDC) elections. With political battles on the horizon, the NPP appears eager to strengthen its candidate selection process.
Incidentally, reports suggest that the incumbent state president and lone Rajya Sabha MP, WR Kharlukhi, had previously communicated his desire to be relieved of his post. This request was made prior to the 2023 Assembly elections, demonstrating his willingness to step aside for fresh leadership.
Earlier last month, Kharlukhi had disclosed the NPP’s intention to field candidates across the entire Northeast during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party’s ambitious goal is to secure 15-20 parliamentary seats to amplify the region’s voice in the national parliament. The Northeast, including Sikkim, boasts a total of 25 parliamentary seats, with 14 of them located in Assam.
Regarding Meghalaya, the NPP has chosen to contest both the Tura and Shillong parliamentary seats. Kharlukhi, however, had emphasised that the party is yet to finalise its candidate selection. Importantly, he had also clarified that the NPP and the United Democratic Party (UDP) would not be endorsing combined candidates; each party would field its own representatives.
While the NPP holds a strong presence in the Garo Hills region, it anticipates a more formidable challenge in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills area during the Lok Sabha elections.
