Shillong, Dec 3: Former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and former Congress MLA from Phulbari Constituency, A. T. Mondal, on Saturday formally joined the National People’s Party (NPP) in the presence of the NPP Chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
The party has also declared Mondal as its candidate from the 46- Phulbari Constituency.
Currently, NPP’s S. G. Esmatur Mominin is the sitting legislator from the constituency. NPP’s ticket to Mondal means Mominin will have to either contest as independent candidate or join other party, or forgo the election.
Mondal is a veteran in politics, having won elections three times – 1998 (Independent), 2008 (Independent) and 2013 (Congress). He was also elected as the Speaker of Meghalaya Assembly in March 2013, becoming the first “non-Indigenous” legislator to hold the office.
Mondal resigned from Congress on November 29, 2022.
Shri A T Mondal brings with him years of experience as a leader of the plain belt areas and is determined to bring more development to Phulbari Constituency together with the NPP. May he continue to work tirelessly for the people. pic.twitter.com/kEvnJReCu0
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) December 3, 2022
Welcoming Mondal to the party’s fold, NPP Chief Conrad Sangma said the joining of A.T. Mondal will impact the entire plain belt of Garo Hills. “With the coming in of A.T. Mondal, the impact will (be felt) in the entire plain belt area; It will not impact just in Phulbari constituency but in the constituencies adjacent to Phulbari,” he said.
“He is a person who has always treated everybody equally, who has never differentiated between different communities and different religious groups, for him, all are the same,” he said adding that the former Congressman’s presence in the party means different groups will have more confidence in the party, and not just the Muslims.
Speaking to reporters after the welcoming program, Sangma refused to give a direct reply on the fate and discussion with incumbent NPP MLA of Phulbari, Esmatur Mominin, stating that the NPP has made their own political surveys and calculations and the NPP strongly feels that at this point in time the entry of Mondal into NPP will boost the party.
“We feel strongly that the possibility of (winning) this election under his (A.T. Mondal), will (be) much stronger and that is the reason why we have approached, discussed and decided to move forward… now what the party have said is that when the 2023 elections are announced, as and when the nomination papers comes out, it will be A.T. Mondal who will be filing the nomination as the NPP candidate,” he added.
