Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Dec. 2: The national general secretary for the National People’s Party (NPP), Vivekraj Wangkhem, who is also in charge of Nagaland state and other members officially launched the NPP in the state on Dec. 2.
In his brief address, Wangkhem spoke about the late PA Sangma who had started the party with a vision to take the tribal forward in the country and to stand up for the cause of the tribal community.
“When the former speaker of Parliament stood for the presidency elections, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) did not stand by him but he stood as a tribal of India and as a Northeast citizen he stood for the presidency,” Wangkhem said. Again, he emphasized on how the late speaker had stressed on one leader from the Northeast states.
The national president of the NPP, Conrad Sangma, was lauded as being a young and dynamic leader by Wangkhem. The latter was excited to get the party in motion before the assembly elections in March.
The convener of the NPP for Nagaland, Ato Yepthomi, said that the NPP was a very important and necessary party to be launched in Nagaland. The reason being he said it was the only national party held by a tribal president which will enable the Northeast people to have a “voice in parliament.”
Further, Yepthomi said that under the leadership of NPP president, Conrad Sangma, the party was all set to bring about a “revolutionary movement of mass participation in neo-nation building throughout the country”.
Through its convener, the NPP said that the party was a secular organisation which emphasizes on the wellbeing and uplift of all religions with special emphasis on co-existence of social minorities across India.
Further mentioning the party’s objective in Nagaland, the NPP intends to create a “ripple of change which will be felt in every nook and corner of the state,” Yepthomi said.
The NPP is set to become a game-changer in the political arena. It will focus on finding solutions to the immediate problems of the people and not “merely on lengthy and unrealistic promises which can never be fulfilled,” he said.
Further, the convener explained how the NPP will be different from the way other party offices run. “The setup of the party has been so done that no party office bearers including the party president and the general secretary can be in the fray for any assembly or general elections as a politician,” he said. He added that any politician who wished to join the party office as an office bearer must first relinquish his position by a formal resignation.
With an aim to shed selfish interests, dissension and differences aside, the NPP urged its members to unite to make the party one of the largest regional parties in the Northeast. This is to have a solid representation in New Delhi and look forward to have a dynamic leader representing India from the Northeast, Yepthomi said.
