The national president of the National People’s Party (NPP) and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma laid the foundation stone for the new office headquarters of the party in Shillong on Tuesday.

Tributes were also paid to former Lok Sabha speaker, late PA Sangma, on his 73rd birth anniversary and to former President Pranab Mukherjee.

“Foundation laid for the NPP office in Shillong. Paid our humble tributes to our leader (L) Sh. P A Sangma on his 73rd birth anniversary. Also paid respects to former President, Sh.#PranabMukherjee during the ceremony by observing 2 mins silence,” chief minister Sangm tweeted.

The foundation stone laying ceremony was held in the presence of NPP state president and Rajya Sabha MP, Dr. WR Kharlukhi, chief adviser to the Meghalaya government DD Lapang, Baldith Sangma and the office-bearers of the national committee of the party.

Chief minister Sangma spoke about the loss of a senior person in politics – one who contributed a lot in the thought process and policymaking and a one-minute silence was observed for the death of the former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.

Sangma spoke about how former President Mukherjee and his father, late PA Sangma, worked together for many years and how they held each other in high regard.

The chief minister said the NPP was very fortunate to gain the land for the construction of the new office and informed that the construction of the new building is estimated to be completed within 12 to 14 months.

Referring to a story told by his father, former Lok Sabha speaker, PA Sangma, the chief minister invited everyone to honour the temple as the day would be remembered as a great day in the years to come.

Conrad Sangma also said similar foundation stone laying ceremonies are being held in Tura and Imphal simultaneously.

Late PA Sangma was a man of the masses who extended a helping hand to everyone who called on him, irrespective of where they came from.

His emergence to the national political scenario came in 1977 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tura constituency.

In 2017, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, becoming the first recipient from the state to receive the award.

Family and well-wishers also paid their respects to late Purno A. Sangma on his 73rd birth anniversary at the P. A. Sangma Stadium in Tura where a statue of the leader was erected in his honour earlier this year.