As a chief minister and people’s leader from northeast, Conrad Sangma took up the cudgels and led the organizations to Delhi, to return home a hero as the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 lapsed in Rajya Sabha.
When the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 issue was burning the whole northeast region, it was the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) from the state of Meghalaya that was the first from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to seriously raise its voice against the bill. The NPP is in alliance with the BJP in Meghalaya and is an NDA ally at the centre. As a warning, the Meghalaya chief minister threatened to quit the NDA if the citizenship bill got passed in the Rajya Sabha. This was after a resolution in the general body convention in Shillong where party members from the states where it is sharing power (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland) were present. The NPP was moving ahead to snap its chord with the NDA if the bill was pushed further.
Soon, we could see another prominent NDA ally - the Janata Dal (United) or JD-U - come in support of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and other socio-political organizations who were protesting against the bill. The JD-U top leadership was in Guwahati where they had discussions with the AGP and the AASU representatives.
The snowballing of the bill into a political nightmare for the BJP did not happen overnight. The issue was burning since 2016 when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the citizenship bill visited northeast to get opinions from various segments of the general public. Mostly, it was the civil society groups that had garnered public support against the bill in all the states of northeast, especially in Assam and Meghalaya, where thousands came out on to the streets of Shillong. Even Manipur was burning. The state governments could not ignore the sentiments of the people who had taken to the streets for months now. The pressure was getting out of hand for the ruling state units, mostly NDA partners. On the other hand, opinion makers and power brokers were waiting and watching in Delhi as the northeast burnt.
As a chief minister from northeast, Conrad Sangma took up the cudgels and led the organizations to Delhi, to return home a hero when the bill lapsed in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP, wary of the backlash and the pressure built by the delegation led by Sangma, abstained from raising the bill in Rajya Sabha. It was no doubt a win for the people of northeast and for Conrad Sangma it was a defining moment. His time had come. “The time has come and this is NPP’s time. We want the northeast to move together and NPP will work together with the people of this region,” stated Sangma in Guwahati, a few days back.
In February this year, when Conrad returned triumphant with the AGP leaders from Delhi, he was hailed as a champion for the cause of the northeast. His welcome at the Guwahati airport indicated his growing trust and popularity among the organizations of northeast. This support from all quarters encouraged Conrad to take the lead and speak about the issues and problems ailing northeast. During his speech in Guwahati during the launch of the Assam unit of NPP, Conrad pointed out that for the northeast to be heard in Delhi, there are two things that have to be accomplished - one is numbers and the other is unity. His meeting right at the heart of Guwahati shows that he is on a mission to raise the numbers – he already has the unity element with him with the organizations behind him.
The North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) looks fractured at the moment for sure. When reports last came in, the convener of NEDA Himanta Biswa Sarma was warming up for the Lok Sabha (LS) polls. It seems Himanta Biswa is moving to the centre as there is speculation about him contesting the LS polls. There is going to be a leadership vacuum and this is where Conrad steps in. The young Sangma might not be the NEDA convener but has all the necessary support of civil society groups and organizations from the northeast to make his voice heard. Moreover, NPP is in power sharing in the states of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.
The setting up of the Assam unit of the NPP is a good move given the number of Garo voters in Assam and other ethnic and religious communities from Meghalaya residing at the borders of Assam and Meghalaya, and many well within Assam. Also, this move shows that there is some future political thinking from Conrad than meets the eye. We will know about it if NPP succeeds in garnering support and springs up a strong political base in Assam. From where we are now, it looks like a distant dream. But, like Conrad said in his speech, “everything starts with the first step.”
These days, when the victory margins are thin, a small number of focused voters can do wonders for any party. This strategy of Conrad Sangma would only fructify if the people looking after the party in Assam are going to get it right the first time. He now has former AGP leader Dilip Bora to look after the affairs of the NPP in Assam. Well, only time can tell how much NPP and Conrad can accomplish in Assam where it has just started. But in Conrad Sangma, the northeast can hope that the much-required platform and voice always yearned by late Puron A Sangma is alive and kicking.
Delhi will hear us only when we are united: Conrad Sangma
The Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) has completed one year in power in the neighbouring state of Meghalaya. Increasing its foothold, the party from Meghalaya launched its Assam unit on Wednesday in Guwahati. The party also opened its Assam office. The NPP now has a sizeable presence in the northeastern states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
Speaking at the launching ceremony Conrad Sangma said that it was time the northeast voice was heard.
“This was the dream of PA Sangma. We the people of northeast have been neglected. Are the people of northeast not important? In politics, number is very important and nobody cares if you don’t have the numbers. Until we are not united, no government in Delhi will listen to us. When everyone from northeast stood united leaving party affiliations aside against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Delhi listened,” said the Conrad Sangma.
“Till we are together we will be able to voice our concern. There is the look east and act east policy and for that to happen we will have to do it ourselves. The development of the northeast region is in our hands. We should not be waiting for someone from Delhi to tell us to act and look. It will not happen. It is our region and we have to do it together,” stated the NPP chief.
“The time has come and this is NPP’s time. We want the northeast to move together and NPP will work together with the people of this region. It is an important and historic day as everything starts with the first step. We have completed one year in office and now NPP will work for the people of Assam and the Northeast,” declared Sangma.
Sangma called upon the people of northeast to join NPP in great numbers to bring the change.
“Once people understand our ideology they will come join us. Our party is working in Arunachal. In Manipur we have a deputy chief minister and 3 ministers. In Nagaland, we have 2 advisors. We have one in MLA in Arunachal. PA Sangma believed that NPP should be in all the states. There should be representative MLAs, MPs from all the states of the region. This will help us in making our voice, issues and concerns relevant,” said Conrad Sangma.
