Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma files nomination for assembly polls

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Meghalaya assembly polls, before the returning officer of 51-South Tura and additional deputy commissioner , Saljong R Marak, at Tura.

The state polls are slated for February 27.

Prior to the filing of his nomination, the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) national chief, accompanied by his wife, visited his father’s PA Sangma’s grave to seek blessings.

Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination, Conrad said there is a positive wave for the NPP and the opposition is disintegrating day by day.

“Hence, in this political scenario I see the trend that NPP is heading towards getting an absolute majority and we are confident that we will get it,” he said.

Also Read: Meghalaya: NPP releases poll manifesto with focus on farmers, job creation

Talking about the factors and issues based on which his party will fight the elections, he said, “We are moving ahead with the development work we have done in the last five years. And the overall work that has happened in different sectors.. and the fact that the foundation has been laid, it is time to take things forward to the next level... and the continuity is important to ensure that we’ll be able to achieve those goals.”

Responding to Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mukul Sangma’s allegation of racial comments by him, Conrad while denying making such comments said, “The only thing I said was that TMC is a party that is out of West Bengal and that’s a fact. There is nothing wrong with that.”

“I have said that it’s (TMC) an outsider party based on the analogy where Madam Mamata Banerjee herself has said in the last West Bengal elections that BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] and other national parties are outside parties. I have said that if the same yardstick is applied to Meghalaya, with those yardsticks, which Mamata Banerjee has herself mentioned in her speech in elections, then TMC is an outside party. There is nothing racial about that comment.”

Meanwhile, the chief minister released the party’s manifesto, ‘People’s Document – Vision 2023-28, at a meeting held at Jowai in West Jaintia Hills District on Friday with a focus on farmers and villages and promising to create 5 lakh jobs and employment opportunities for the youth if voted back to power.

The document also includes a summary of the government’s key achievements titled ‘Promises Delivered’, and has got a year-by-year detailed road map to realise the party’s vision.

Conrad is seeking re-election from South Tura, which he won after being elected as the Meghalaya CM in August 2018 by defeating his nearest Congress rival Charlotte W Momin by a margin of over 8,400 votes.

Also Read: Meghalaya assembly elections: BJP releases list of 60 candidates

Prior to that, he was a member of parliament from Tura (2016–2018). After the passing away of his father late PA Sangma 2016, who was then the sitting MP from the Tura seat, Conrad contested the by-election from Tura to the Lok Sabha in May 2016 and won by a record margin of 1.92 lakh votes.

He was sworn in as the Meghalaya chief minister on March 6, 2018.

The last date for filing of nomination for the Meghalaya Assembly elections 2023 is February 7. The scrutiny of the nominations will be done on February 8 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is February 10, 2023. The polling is on February 27 and results will be declared on March 2, 2023.