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IS NPP THE MAIN PARTY PULLING THE STRINGS IN POLLS 18

The National Peoples Party, which is an ally in the Bharatiya Janata Party - National Democratic Alliance, has confirmed to go alone in th e forthcoming general elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, to contest all the sixty seats, at th e same time projecting Prestone Tynsong, former cabinet minister, of the Congress led Meghalaya United Alliance government, as the next Chief Minister.

This was announced at the Pynursla NPP by the NPP President Conrad Sangma, being also the Lok Sabha member from Tura.

Pynursla constituency is at present the bastion of Prestone Tynsong, elected from the Congress ticket. However in the present juncture, Tynsong would be facing mainly Grace Mary Kharpuri, under the flag of the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), who is at present member of the Khasi Hills District Council, elected from neighbourhood Nongshken.

Certainly Congress votes would splinter, as Prestone Tynsong is now in the NPP. The PDF which was formed recently, would have to however build up from the scratch, and heavily depending upon the personality of Grace Kharpuri herself.

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Acid test for the National Parties in Polls 2018

Former Congress Home Minister, R.G. Lyngdoh, belonging to a family of politicians, right from his father Peter G. Marbaniang, and also his sister Ampareen Lyngdoh, being cabinet Minister of the Congress led-Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government, has in a straight forward, statement, said that time has come for a change, and that an alternate government should come about. R.G. Lyngdoh, has reflected the mood of the people that enough is enough. Yet this wish might not come about, if the opposition parties, do not form an alliance or understanding, to dislodge the present set up, of the Congress led coalition.

Indeed, the mood of the general electorate is for bringing about a change. However at the present moment, there is no sign that any party, whether national or regional, can of its own win the required number in forming the government. For the first time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a challenging entry, specially against the Congress, in the up coming assembly elections. It would therefore be an acid test for both of these two national parties to be locking horns.

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What will happen to North Shillong Constituency?

The Mawkhar region of present North Shillong Constituency, would be missing Roshan Warjri, present Health Minister of the Meghalaya Government, as she has announced that she would this time not contest the 2018 assembly elections. Popularly known as Kong Kei, she has not given any reason of her decision, which she consider to be of personal matter.

Mawkhar region, known as the brain of Khasi Hills, has always been a bastion of regional parties. She  was elected for the first time in 1993, from the Hill Peoples Union, which was then an opposition party in the Assembly. Again she was elected from the regional United Democratic Front, being a coalition partner in the Government, and became a cabinet minister. She did not seek further elections until 2013.

She was one of a very few women members of the assembly, despite Meghalaya being a matrimonial society, where women seldom take part in active politics.

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Is SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR really serious about breaking peace in NORTHEAST?

Is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, really serious resolving the arm conflict prevailing in the Northeast region and particularly in the restive state of Manipur? This query gains significance after the spiritual leader chaired a session of the North East Indigenous People’s conference held in Guwahati’s Plush Hotel attended by representatives of cross section of Northeast based civil society bodies, student bodies, human rights activists and former armed insurgents with the general secretary of the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam, Anup Chetia playing a major role.

In a press conference held in Manipur in April 2016 on his second visit to the state, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar breaking away from the stereo type of blaming unemployment as the core factor for the insurgency and went on to say, that he admired the insurgents for their sacrifice and saluted them for their commitment to the cause.

“It is tapasya, it is sacrifice. I appreciate them and they need to be saluted for their bravery. I would like them to come forward and sit with me and work out the modalities for peace. Being an insurgent, fighting in the jungle for what he/she believes in speaks volumes about the leadership and commitment of the Manipuri youth. They are intelligent, spiritual, good hearted, extremely talented, and strong. They essentially want sovereignty to see the people prosper and be happy” said the globe icon of peace.

The Gurudev, as his followers fondly call him, asserted categorically that he is the right candidate to mediate as he understands the insurgents’ aspirations and sincerely wants to work for peace in Manipur.