Imphal, October 10: Meghalaya Chief Minister and National President of the National People’s Party (NPP), Conrad K. Sangma, on his two-day visit to Manipur, reaffirmed his party’s firm stand on preserving the territorial integrity of the state while stressing the need for dialogue, unity, and collective responsibility among all stakeholders to restore peace and normalcy.
Addressing a press conference at Classic Grande, Chingmeirong, Sangma said his visit was aimed at assessing the ground situation and engaging with political leaders, civil society organisations (CSOs), and local communities to explore ways to ensure long-term stability. “There was a very positive feeling among all party leaders to take the NPP forward. Many CSOs shared valuable suggestions on how the party could contribute to restoring peace and normalcy in Manipur,” he said.
Sangma revealed that he met the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, late on Thursday night to discuss recommendations received from various organisations. “I met the Manipur Governor yesterday. We shared and discussed the suggestions which came from different organisations on what the Administration from the Government of Manipur and the Government of India could do to bring back normalcy. A positive discussion took place. The suggestions provided by the NPP were well-received,” he said.
Reiterating the party’s position on Manipur’s territorial integrity, Sangma stated, “We have been very clear that the territorial integrity of Manipur is something that the NPP believes in. Bifurcating the state of Manipur is not the stand of the NPP. We have always stressed that a meeting point can be reached, and it depends on the will and dialogue. It has been too long; communities and people of Manipur are suffering. It is the responsibility of all leaders to find a way forward.”
Highlighting the NPP’s regional roots, Sangma remarked, “The NPP has always believed in being the voice of the Northeast. Born in Manipur, today it has spread across the region and remains the only national party formed purely by the states of the Northeast. While we maintain a strong organisational structure, we always listen to the people and act immediately on their concerns.”
On the party’s alliances, he added, “We have support from the NDA and the BJP, but more importantly, from the leadership of the incumbent Chief Minister. Our party will make decisions based on the situation at hand. The party leaders, state committee, MLAs, and all frontal organisations will come together as a team to decide on actions that serve the interests of the people. If a course of action benefits the people and the state, we will proceed; if not, we will refrain.”
Following the press conference, Sangma is scheduled to travel to Kangpokpi, stopping at Senapati and Tadubi to meet CSOs from different communities. He will also visit the residence of the late ICG in Maram Tadubi to meet the family of the former party president and later proceed to Dimapur for detailed meetings with NPP legislators and leaders from Nagaland.
