Shortly after the massive and unpredictable win in Manipur, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh gave a detailed exclusive interview to THE WEEK in which he said, “I would urge central leadership not to accept NPP in the coalition.”
Singh has become one of the undisputed leaders of BJP in the Northeast like Himanta Biswa Sarma of Assam, who also came to BJP after being a minister for 15 years in Congress government. Under his leadership, the BJP secured first ever full majority in Manipur.
It is also important to look at the performance of Conrad K Sangma and his National People’s Party (NPP), who Singh does not want in the coalition anymore. Sangma’s party, by winning seven seats, became the single largest opposition party, edging the Congress out. Despite the differences among the regional stalwarts, Sangma enjoys good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Modi-Shah duo would have last words on his relations with the saffron party.
He inherited his relation with BJP from his father P.A. Sangma. However, that ties is on the brink of a collapse, said his partymen.
Sangma told THE WEEK, “Let us not discuss it now. I will explain to you everything later when we will meet.”
He said he was hopeful of getting at least 15 seats in Manipur and would not beg for any position in the Manipur as he is running his full majority government in Meghalaya.”
NPP’s growth in Manipur is manifold. Sangma is a suave gentleman who is foreign educated, with great administrative skills. With robust support from the civic society, he managed to successfully contain Covid-19 in Meghalaya without much help from Union government. The Congress, which was main opposition in his state, got fragmented and became Trinamool Congress. Hence, he faces no threat from Congress in Manipur or Meghalaya. His party defeated mainly BJP leaders in the valley and hills. The Congress in those contests were in number three positions. The Moirang seat is an example where NPP defeated a senior BJP leader who many thought would be a cabinet minister in the next Biren Singh government.
Sangma's NPP is expanding in the Northeast, taking the space left by the Congress. His next target is Arunachal Pradesh, another Christian dominated state. In Meghalaya, he knows, the BJP has a limitation. Sangma’s closeness to churches in Mizoram would also be an added advantage. The Congress is a depleting force in Mizoram as Lal Thanhawla, the last Congress stalwart in the state is getting old. So Sangma is eyeing that space as well.
A young man, who is in his early forties, Sangma has has age in his side. He is aggressive and knows that BJP has limitation in Mizoram and Meghalaya because of its Hindutva tag. And that is his reason to take the BJP head on. The BJP needs him more in Northeast than vice versa. He isn't exactly worried about being part of the NDA government in Manipur where NPF and JD(U) would also be part of, despite contesting against BJP. He would gladly play the role of main opposition and would expand his party in Manipur. One of his major strengths is he has supporters in all the three religions—Hindu, Muslims and Christians. All seven MLAs he has in Manipur are from these three communities.
According to his one party workers, “Our leader is the truly secular leader of Northeast. He would be the main leader in the coming days. Just wait and see.”
