Shillong: The People’s Democratic Front (PDF), a regional party of Meghalaya, on Saturday merged with the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) at its office in Lachumiere based on an 11-point document, giving a boost to the ruling party in the state.
Senior leaders of NPP termed the merger of PDF with NPP as a “wedding ceremony”.
The PDF has two MLAs – Gavin M Mylliem (Sohra) and Banteidor Lyngdoh (Mawkynrew) – in the Meghalaya Assembly and the merger has increased the NPP’s strength to 28 in the 60-member House and also ended the journey of PDF as a political party after nearly six years since it was constituted.
The merger document was signed between NPP national chief and chief minister Conrad K Sangma and PDF chief Gavin M Mylliem in the presence of NPP national vice president Prestone Tynsong, NPP general secretary Sniawbhalang Dhar and PDF working president Banteidor Lyngdoh.
PDF general secretary Auspicious Lyngdoh read out the merger document. The merger document of the regional party founded in 2017 just before the 2018 assembly polls specified that the roster system ought to be implemented with prospective effect, implementation of ILP (inner line permit), official recognition to the Khasi language, solution to the border dispute with Assam, improving air connectivity and power scenario among a few others as its conditions for merging.
The other points mentioned in the document include formulation of an agriculture policy, implementation of an employment generation policy, transparent & effective recruitment policy, reviewing the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules 2016, improving power availability by 2028 and solving the drug menace in the state.
Both the PDF MLAs along with leaders of the party were felicitated during the grand function held at the NPP’s party office here.
Speaking on the occasion, NPP National president Conrad K Sangma said, “For the last five years, we have been romancing and that is simply because we get along and we see things from the same perspective, we have the same goals, ideas and visions for our people and our state.
We will work together to ensure that we are able to achieve all these points mentioned in the document. I can assure you that we will definitely take care of all these issues, he said.
Hailing the merger with PDF, the NPP leaders stated that the merger had increased the number of NPP MLAs and in days to come the numbers may even increase.
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