Imphal, Dec 28: Meghalaya Chief minister and National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad K Sangma said demand to repeal Armed Force Special Power Act (AFSPA) would be the key agenda of their party in the upcoming Manipur Assembly polls.
Speaking at the sideline of Makhel Heritage Conclave which marks the 88th anniversary of the Mao Students Union in Manipur, Conrad K Sangma said, “We are getting a positive and good response from the people and definitely we will do much better then the previous election in Manipur. Of course elections are elections but we have to see how it goes.”
Honoured to be amidst the people of Manipur at the Makhel Heritage Conclave marking the 88th anniversary of the Mao Students Union. Northeast is diverse in its own way, I am glad to partake in this milestone of our Mao brothers & sisters. pic.twitter.com/d1Hy3cWG84
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) December 28, 2021
“But initial response we are getting is very positive and we have finalised above 30 candidates for the polls but the names haven’t been declared yet but soon it will be declared. If situations change we are planning to contest 40 to 45 seats in the upcoming elections in Manipur,” NPP chief said.
Sangma added, “The election committee will take the decision. We expect more candidates to come and join our party.”
NPP is a key partner in the 60-member BJP-led coalition government in Manipur and the party has two ministers in the government, including the Deputy Chief Minister.
This time the NPP will contest the Manipur polls alone and the party is quite confident of a better result than the previous elections.
Both the ruling and opposition parties in the poll-bound state are in election mode and campaigning in the state has already begun. The Assembly elections in Manipur are due in early 2022.
