The National People’s Party (NPP), which is heading the six-party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, is confident of winning both and assembly seats in the upcoming bypolls to the two constituencies.
“We are confident of getting back our seat in South Tura and we will win Ranikor too,” NPP leader and deputy chief minister had said recently.
Chief minister Conrad K Sangma, the national president of NPP, is set to contest from South Tura after his sister resigned as member of the Meghalaya assembly.
Conrad, who represents the Tura parliamentary constituency, is required to get elected to the assembly by September 16 to continue as Chief Minister.
Sangma has appealed to coalition partners in the ruling MDA to extend their support to him in the upcoming South Tura bypoll, the date for which is yet to be announced by the Election Commission. NPP is fielding former Congress leader Martin M Danggo for the Ranikor seat.
Danggo, a five-time legislator from Ranikor, resigned from the assembly after the state government decided to upgrade Ranikor administrative unit into a full fledged civil subdivision which was inaugurated recently, reports TOI.
However, he is yet to formally join NPP. Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong said it was only a matter of time before Danggo joined the ruling party.
NPP state president WR Kharlukhi said Danggo would soon join his party.