Shillong, Jan 26: In a major boost to NPP ahead of the KHADC elections, opposition Congress MDC from Mairang Batskhem Ryntathiang Thursday officially joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

Ryntathiang was welcomed by the NPP leader and cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who is also candidate for the Shillong parliamentary seat in presence of party’s working president and former MLA Hamletson Dohling and other party leaders and workers.

The NPP Mairang Block Committee was also formed for strengthening the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The term of the present houses in KHADC and JHADC will expire on March 5, 2024 and as such the elections have to be held by February 2024. But with the delimitation exercises being carried out, there is possibility of deferring the elections to a later date.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the meeting held at Mairang, Lyngdoh said she was overwhelmed by the positive vibes from the public. “I have been to so many villages, I have shaken so many hands, people are so simple and the MP really needs to get down to that level and explain and simplify political matters to public”.

Stating that she would walk the talk as a candidate of the party, Lyngdoh said she would try to reach to every nook and corner of the Shillong parliamentary constituency in the next three months.

She said that NPP is a party which will never mislead the people nor sell forms to persuade them into joining but leaders of the party will only explain to the people the objectives and why it is beneficial to join the party.

The MP candidate said there are many allegations against the NPP and its leaders but the party does not require hitting back on those individuals and parties but will continue to work and support the government in its duty to serve the people of the state.

“So I feel that there is no sense of hopelessness as some people indicate, people are very hopeful that is why they come forward to speak with us but I feel that we still need to look at some very serious issues like MMR and IMR in remote areas of the state” said Lyngdoh.

Lyngdoh said that she will divide her time judiciously because if the party has found her fit to be its candidate, she should also go all out to reach as many communities and reach as many places.

“I believe that if people of the Shillong parliamentary seats send an MP from the ruling dispensation to Delhi to represent Shillong parliamentary seat I feel the connection will be more productive in the long run because it is the MP’s responsibility to build on these bridges for better governance” she added.

When asked about the performance of the sitting MP, Lyngdoh said “I am not going to say who did what and who did not do what. It is not me to judge, I will never judge anybody’s performance because likewise I am also being judge”.

“I have no one to judge, whether you work or don’t work, it is for you to give the report card to the people but I am saying one thing, MP has to be seen, MP has to be met with and MP has to return to the people to convince them that after have been elected as MP, I have done my duty and I have done it to the best of my capacities” said Lyngdoh.

Earlier in his speech, Batskhem Ryntathiang said he has no grudge against the Congress but he is grateful to the party for introducing him to politics.

Ryntathiang said that with the changing time, he felt the need to switch to NPP especially to extend full support to its MP candidates for the upcoming election. He also urged the party to start preparing for the MP as well as MDC elections.

Terming the MDC’s decision to join NPP as right choice, Hamlet Dohling said that the sitting MDC is a hardworking leader and he has made the right choice by joining the party, which has good leaders.

“I welcome Ryntathiang and his followers to the party and we will continue to work together for the welfare of the people of Mairang constituency” said Dohling.

Dohling said that the party has selected Ampareen Lyngdoh as its candidate for the up-coming MP election as she is the fittest woman to represent the people of Shillong parliamentary seat and the state in the parliament.

He added that this is the first time that a woman will represent the Khasi community in the Parliament hence it is the duty of everyone to make sure that Lyngdoh wins the up-coming MP election.

Read: Ampareen seeks report on 23-year-old’s death at NEIGRIHMS

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