Meghalaya polls: NPP releases manifesto, promises 5 lakh jobs, woos farmers

The manifesto, titled ‘People’s Document – Vision 2023-28’ was released by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Friday at Jowai, the headquarters of the West Jaintia Hills district, along with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and other senior party leaders. Apart from listing out its promises, the manifesto also included a summary of the party’s achievements in the last five years entitled ‘Promises Delivered’.

Among the promises made in the NPP’s manifesto are the creation of 5 lakh jobs for the youth and the continuation of the state’s flagship programmes for farmers such as ‘Focus and Focus +’, which provides financial aid to enhance agriculture value chain development. It also includes bringing government services to every village through the creation of 1,000 Chief Minister’s Facilitation Centres as well as upgraded health infrastructure.

The NPP, led by Conrad Sangma, son of former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Sangma, is seeking re-election after what many describe as five tumultuous years in power, marked by multiple law-and-order breakdowns, including border clashes with neighbouring Assam, and ethnic flare-ups. The party is also battling allegations of nepotism and corruption.

Among its most vocal critics is the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) which is a new entrant in the state’s political arena. Observers in Meghalaya say the TMC, courtesy the popularity of former chief minister Mukul Sangma, is likely to be the main challenger to the NPP — especially in the Garo Hills which sends 24 members to the assembly. In the run-up to the polls, the two parties have been engaged in a war of words.

NPP’s manifesto also says the party would continue to work toward arriving at a workable agreement on the Assam-Meghalaya border issue by engaging all concerned stakeholders. In what was called a landmark agreement, last year, the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya had signed a pact to resolve a part of their five-decade-old boundary dispute. However, the Opposition criticised it saying that it did not take into account all stakeholders — in fact, the TMC in its manifesto has promised to revoke the border pact if it comes to power this election.