By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) has officially chosen National People’s Party (NPP) leader James P K Sangma as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election from the state. The alliance arrived at the decision after deliberations among its constituent parties ahead of the June 18 poll for Meghalaya’s lone seat in the Upper House of Parliament.
The candidature was finalised during a meeting of alliance leaders, where members discussed the selection process and explored possible nominees. Representatives from various parties put forward names from their respective organisations and sought support for their candidates.
As discussions progressed, alliance partners were unable to reach a consensus on a common nominee from among the proposed names. To avoid differences and preserve unity within the coalition, the parties decided to follow the convention of supporting the recommendation of the alliance’s largest constituent, the NPP.
Following the consultations, leaders unanimously approved the NPP’s proposal to field James P K Sangma as the alliance’s joint candidate for the Rajya Sabha election.
Apart from the Rajya Sabha contest, the meeting also reviewed the political scenario surrounding the upcoming by-election to the Shillong Parliamentary constituency. Alliance partners agreed that each constituent party would be free to determine its own position on the bypoll, including supporting a candidate, remaining neutral or opting out of the contest.
Sangma is expected to submit his nomination papers on June 5.
Reacting to the development, Sangma expressed gratitude to the NPP leadership and alliance partners for placing their confidence in him. In a social media post, he said he was honoured by the decision to nominate him as the coalition’s common candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat.
He also thanked Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, along with leaders of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and independent legislators for their support.