Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said that Assam’s recent efforts to position itself as a major festival destination should not be seen as a threat, but rather as “healthy competition” that can help elevate the entire Northeast as a cultural and tourism hub.
His statement comes after Assam chief minister Himanta B. Sarma announced plans to intensify Assam’s branding as a leading festival hotspot.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma said such initiatives are beneficial for the region. “Positive competitiveness is very important. It is promoting the Northeast as a destination, and it is a great thing,” he remarked.
The chief minister stressed that every state has its own strengths and cultural identity. “Meghalaya and Shillong will always have their niche. There are factors unique to Shillong and Meghalaya, and similarly, Assam and Guwahati have their own strengths,” he said.
Sangma added that states should focus on their distinctive attributes rather than view each other as rivals. “Each state, each region, each city has its own uniqueness and competitive advantage. Playing around those advantages should be the strategy of every state government,” he said.
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Reiterating Meghalaya’s longstanding emphasis on music and cultural tourism, the chief minister noted that the state has consistently promoted the Northeast as a “music destination”. He said Meghalaya welcomes any initiative that strengthens the region’s growing music and concert ecosystem.
Sangma concluded by calling for collective progress among Northeastern states. “We hope all Northeast states move forward together in creating a healthy environment and promoting the music and concert economy for the nation and the world,” he said.
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