The signals that former Assembly Speaker Martin M. Danggo is deserting the NPP in favour of the BJP are getting clearer.
It may be mentioned that the NPP has recently announced Danggo as its candidate from Ranikor constituency for the February 27 Assembly elections.
However, there were reports that Danggo has decided to leave the NPP and contest the elections on a BJP ticket. Reports also said that he met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on January 28 along with Meghalaya BJP MLA Alexander L. Hek to seal the deal.
Sources said that Danggo will meet his supporters on January 4 at Nolikata in Ranikor constituency to officially declare his decision to join the BJP.
Today, Danggo’s supporters converged at the Shillong Club and said that they wanted him to contest the polls as a BJP nominee.
Prominent leader of the Danggo camp Pelcy Snaitang said that it was the NPP which forced Danggo to leave the party.
She also said that there were some issues that cropped up in the constituency but the NPP leadership did not bother to address the issues.
“We tried to meet NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to discuss many things regarding election preparations in Ranikor constituency but we were told that Sangma is busy with the elections and that we can no longer meet him. Since the NPP ignored us, we are no longer happy to stay in the party,” Snaitang said.
She also said that Danggo would take his decision to join the BJP in the coming days.
“We were not NPP members in the beginning but after our leader joined the party we followed him. Now that he is joining the BJP we will follow him there. It is better for Danggo to leave the NPP and contest the polls as a BJP candidate,” Snaitang added.
Meanwhile, in a signal that Danggo is leaving the NPP, more that 600 of his supporters from Ranikor constituency joined the BJP at a programme organised at the State party office here.
Among those who joined the BJP were Danggo’s main campaigners who included Pelcy Snaitang, former Langrin MDC Manstudy Nongrem, chief adviser of Ranikor NPP Lastborn Pariong, Ranikor NPP vice presidents Leenga Sangma and P K Nongmin, Ranikor NPP youth wing president Christopher Lyngdoh, Ranikor NPP youth wing vice president Justice Hashah and senior party leader Santosh Sangma.
They were welcomed into the BJP by State party vice president Dipayan Chakraborty and State party general secretary Clarence G. Nongbet.
Both Chakraborty and Nongbet assured the audience that the BJP would achieve all their dreams that they had for Ranikor and for the State.
Danggo’s supporters also said that the BJP was the only party that they knew that had actually delivered on all of their promises made from time to time across the country. They said they wanted the BJP to change the fate of Meghalaya as well.
