West Shillong MLA Mohendro Rapsang, who was suspended from the Congress Party earlier this year after offering support to the MDA government, will join the NPP next week.
Rapsang and four other legislators defied the Congress to offer their backing to the MDA without quitting the party. It was rumoured that Rapsang could join the BJP but he has now come down on the side of the NPP.
“As of now I am still the legislator of the Congress but I am not going to contest from the Congress as I am under suspension and in the next 10 days I will resign from the party and as an MLA also. I am sure I will join the NPP,” Rapsang said today.
The other four suspended Congress MLAs are Ampareen Lyngdoh, Kimfa Marbaniang and Mayralborn Syiem. Another 12 had defected late last year to the Trinamool Congress. However, one of those 12 – Himalaya Shangpliang – has since resigned in favour of the BJP.
Human development and locality development are the two main priorities for Rapsang at the upcoming 2023 election.
Lauding the NPP-led MDA government, Rapsang said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma many new youth programmes have been implemented during this government’s term and many more are expected in the future.
“Lots of programmes for the people, for the poor, programmes for the farmers, sportspersons, youths and skill development, so we have high hopes for Conrad Sangma, who is young and dynamic… After the next election, where the NPP will get a majority, we will see a change in Meghalaya,” he added.