Shillong, June 3: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA)-II on Wednesday unanimously endorsed former MLA and National Working President of the National People’s Party (NPP), James P.K Sangma. The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA)-II on Wednesday unanimously endorsed former MLA and National Working President of the National People’s Party (NPP), James P.K. Sangma, as its official candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election, bringing to an end speculation over the ruling coalition’s nominee for the lone Upper House seat from Meghalaya.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the MDA-II Parliamentary Party attended by representatives of all alliance partners. With MDA partners choosing a common candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Meghalaya, the coalition has projected a united front ahead of the election. The MDA currently enjoys the support of 51 legislators in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly., as its official candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election, bringing to an end speculation over the ruling coalition’s nominee for the lone Upper House seat from Meghalaya.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the MDA-II Parliamentary Party attended by representatives of all alliance partners. With MDA partners choosing a common candidate for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Meghalaya, the coalition has projected a united front ahead of the election. The MDA currently enjoys the support of 51 legislators in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
“As you are aware we had a meeting of the MDA 2 Parliamentary Party where MLAs from all the alliance partners participated and we have passed certain resolutions.”
“The nomination filing will be on 5th of this month,” he added.
Sangma further said, “We have all agreed together that we will go as per the democratic process and allow the largest party’s nominee to be backed.”
“The candidature that we are proposing now is not a political party’s candidature but now it is adopted as a resolution as MDA 2’s candidature,” Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, MDA-II Parliamentary Party Secretary Paul Lyngdoh said leaders of all constituent parties were briefed about the Rajya Sabha election scheduled for June 18 and the views of the NPP leadership on the matter.
During the discussions, representatives of the constituent parties expressed their willingness to have nominees from their respective parties considered for endorsement as the alliance candidate. However, as multiple names were proposed and no consensus emerged around a single nominee, the coalition decided to follow the established convention of supporting the candidate put forward by the largest constituent party.
According to the resolution adopted by the alliance, the decision was taken to ensure cohesion and unanimity within the coalition and in keeping with established parliamentary practice. The meeting subsequently endorsed the NPP’s proposal and unanimously backed James P.K. Sangma as the Rajya Sabha nominee representing MDA-II.
The meeting was attended by NPP National President Conrad K. Sangma and Meghalaya NPP President Prestone Tynsong on behalf of the NPP; Paul Lyngdoh and Lahkmen Shylla representing the United Democratic Party (UDP); Sanbor Shullai and A.L. Hek representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); Methodius Dkhar and Shakliar Warjri representing the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP); and Independent MLA Renington G. Momin.
With the backing of all coalition partners, James P.K. Sangma enters the Rajya Sabha race as the official consensus candidate of the ruling MDA-II, significantly strengthening his prospects in the June 18 election.
