Conrad Sangma's Party To Support NDA Candidates in Nagaland, Manipur

The National People's Party, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, has announced that it would support the Lok Sabha candidate of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland and the Naga People's Front (NPF) nominee in Manipur.

NPP national chief Sangma, after meeting Nagaland Chief Minister and senior NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio, said his party would support NDPP candidate Chumben Murry for the lone Nagaland seat.

Mr Murry is the consensus candidate of the ruling People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), which leads Nagaland's multi-party coalition government.

The NPP would also support NPF candidate Kachui Timothy Zimik in the Outer Manipur seat, Mr Sangma told the media. His party, he added, would support BJP nominees in two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh -- Union Minister Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal West) and Tapir Gao (Arunachal East).

The NPF fielded Mr Zimik, replacing its sitting MP Lorho S. Pfoze.

The NPP, NPF, and NDPP are the allies of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Mr Sangma said the NDA partners are supporting each other's candidates in different northeastern states.

The BJP had earlier announced support to the candidates of the NPP in the two parliamentary seats in Meghalaya, the NPF nominee in the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, and the NDPP contender in Nagaland's lone Lok Sabha seat.

It is however yet to declare its candidate for the Inner Manipur seat.

The NPP, which dominates the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government led by Mr Sangma, has fielded state minister Ampareen Lyngdoh from the Shillong Lok Sabha constituency, and renominated Agatha K. Sangma from Tura.

Agatha K. Sangma, the sister of Conrad Sangma, was the youngest Union Minister during the second UPA government.