Regional reboot: North East leaders chart course for unified political future

KOHIMA — In what is being described as a “historic announcement” for the region’s political landscape, leaders from various political parties across the North East have agreed to merge and form a single political entity aimed at representing the collective aspirations and interests of the people from the region.

The announcement was made during a joint press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, where a joint statement was read out by National People’s Party (NPP) National President and Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma. The statement was signed by Sangma; Mmhonlumo Kikon, former Nagaland minister and former BJP national spokesperson; Pradyot Bikram Manikya, founder of the TIPRA Motha Party; and Daniel Langthasa, founder of the People’s Party in Assam.

A nine-member committee has been constituted to work towards the formation of the proposed entity, with NPP’s National Working President JM Sangma as convenor and Mmhonlumo Kikon as member secretary. The committee will deliberate on the modalities, structure, and guiding principles of the new party and is expected to submit its report within 45 days.

Speaking at the press conference, Sangma said the leaders had agreed “to come in and merge and become one political entity — one name, one symbol, one flag.” He described the move as a step towards ensuring that the people of the North East have a unified political voice at the national level.

The joint statement said that leaders from different states of the region had long been raising the same issues and concerns from separate platforms, but “have realised that our strength lies in unity, and that it is time to give our people one collective voice.”

“We, leaders from different states of the North East, have come together today to make a collective and historic announcement i.e. the coming together of various voices of our region to form a united singular political entity that truly represents the aspirations of our people,” it stated.

Taking inspiration from the vision and legacy of leaders who had fought for the identity and development of the region, the statement said the signatories were committed to carrying forward those ideals through a shared vision for the future of the North East.

“Our united effort is guided by a simple conviction that the people of the North East deserve to be heard, respected, and represented through a strong, unified, and indigenous political voice at the national level,” it read.

Pradyot Bikram Manikya said during the press conference that the region faces similar problems and challenges, and urged leaders to “shed personal ambitions and egos” and come together “for the sake of the people, for the communities, and speak as one singular political entity.”

He added that the initiative seeks to unify the separate voices of the North East into a single platform that can represent the region more effectively.

The joint effort, the statement noted, aims to build a stronger and more united North East through collective leadership and collaboration across state lines.

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