National   

Sangma plans to work for Eastern People's Forum

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, JAN. 25. A day after the Nationalist Congress Party split with P.A. Sangma parting ways with the party leader, Sharad Pawar, and claiming that his group was the "real NCP", Mr. Sangma seems all set to sail with the National Democratic Alliance both in the east and north east regions of the country.

Having already drawn plans for the 17-party North East People's Forum to contest the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the region, Mr. Sangma's group would work for the Eastern People's Forum, consisting of the Janata Dal (United), the Biju Janata Dal and the Trinamool Congress. His calculation appears to be that the east and north east regions have nearly 150 Lok Sabha seats and the NEPF-EPF as a group can have a say in the next Government at the Centre.

The NCP, which enjoys a national party status, had got over six per cent of the votes in Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. In the coming Lok Sabha polls, the NEPF would take on the Congress with the BJP-Arunachal Congress in Arunachal Pradesh, with the Naga People's Front in Nagaland, with the Mizo National Front in Mizoram, the Federal Party of Manipur, and the Manipur State Congress in Manipur and the ruling Sikkim Sangram Parishad in Sikkim. The JD (U) too has a presence in the Nagaland Assembly. At present, the Congress has Governments in Manipur and Meghalaya.

In Mr. Sangma's calculation, the people of the north east have benefited from the development policies of the NDA Government and see more gains from New Delhi's `look-East' policy, since the States of the region would be the "gateway for trade and commerce."

Mr. Sangma has been working closely with the JD(U) president and NDA convener, George Fernandes, and they are planning to expand the support base.

In an informal interaction with correspondents today, Mr. Sangma said he would send a representation to the Election Commission seeking the NCP's "clock" symbol. Mr. Sangma said his party may field "token" candidates in the Maharashtra Assembly polls and not the Lok Sabha, irrespective of whether they are held simultaneously or separately.

While admitting that he could campaign for the NDA, Mr. Sangma said he would not campaign against Mr. Pawar.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• Top terrorist back on covert peace mission?
• Higher tax collections will offset duty cut losses: Jaswant
• IT industry to step up campaign against move to ban outsourcing
• Winning hearts through `Operation Sadbhavna'
• Youth Congress urges Rahul, Priyanka to join active politics
• Huge arms dump found in Kashmir
• Soft corner for kids in website too
• List of Padma awardees
• Ashok Chakra for Triveni Singh
• Sangma plans to work for Eastern People's Forum
• India, Brazil sign space cooperation deal
• Three LeT militants held
• India, Mercosur sign preferential trade agreement

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu