Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma, who is also the TMC Legislative Party Leader in Meghalaya, has questioned the political ethics of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), accusing it of systematically weakening its own coalition partners despite having depended on their support to form the government in 2018. Pointing out that the NPP had only 20 MLAs when it formed the government with the support of the United Democratic Party (UDP), which had six legislators, and the People’s Democratic Front (PDF), which had four, Sangma questioned the subsequent political manoeuvres that have left the PDF virtually wiped out through mergers and the UDP reduced to a symbolic presence with just one MLA. Describing the developments as abnormal and unprecedented, he alleged that the NPP and BJP were attempting to destabilise other political parties out of desperation ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. Predicting a change of government after the elections, Sangma asserted that the NPP-led dispensation would not return to power and that Meghalaya would have a new government.
“You are witnessing a kind of political environment, which is highly abnormal, unusual, which you have never seen before,” Sangma said, recalling how the NPP, UDP, BJP and PDF had come together to form the government in 2018.
Drawing a comparison with friends jointly building something only to see some of them turn against their partners, he questioned the treatment meted out to the UDP, which had been an integral part of the alliance. “in natural conversation, if four friends five friends come together and build something together and suddenly, you see that Some of the friends start destroying the family of the Partners in While building something together. this is something which is abnormal, and Udp has been integrant part of the alliance.”
He alleged that the ruling party’s poaching exercise could eventually force the UDP to withdraw from the government, “Now, they have engaged in poaching exercise and eventually the Fallout is that Udp eventually, is probably going to be forced to withdraw from the Present dispensation. This is what I’m seeing. Is it normal?”
Questioning the rationale behind targeting parties that remain part of the governing alliance, Sangma said political competition against opposition parties was understandable, but attempts to weaken coalition partners raised concerns about political ethics, “See if any political party who is in Government is trying to target the rival political parties, it is something seen as expected line of Political strategy. But Targeting Political party who is part of the Alliance this is something which is highly abnormal because political ethics are there. What type of politics are we seeing now?”
He alleged that the developments over the past several months were driven by attempts to strengthen the NPP and BJP’s position before the next Assembly elections.
Dr Sangma further said, “whatever we are seeing since last presiding few months and the desparate attempts to distabilize other political parties is nothing but a manifestation of their desperation to position themselves how fight the 2028 elections, knowing fully well what is going to happen in 2028?”
Asked whether the 18 MLAs who joined the NPP and BJP through mergers over the past three years could return to their original political parties in 2028, Sangma maintained that the entire exercise reflected the ruling parties’ apprehension about the electoral outcome. “This whole exercise if the manifestation of NPP and BJP’s desparation, because they know what is going to happen in 2028 Assembly Elections,” the former CM said.
Reiterating his prediction of a change in government, the leader of opposition said, “I tell you one thing, despite their all kinds of attempts, 2028 there’ll be new government in the state. It’ll be Obviously a new dispensation of government and people have already decided and prepared. I know the people of the state of Meghalaya, I respect the wisdom of those people of Meghalaya, and I can see that that people have already decided what is going to happen in 2028, at least one thing sure that the present dispensation led by NPP will not be there in 2028, finish full stop.”
