Ahead of RS polls, MDA partners expresses concern over NPP’s support to CAA

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 5, 2020

The election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat is unlikely to be cakewalk for the National People’s Party (NPP), which is leading the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition government, due to issues related to the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

NPP state president Dr WR Kharlukhi was declared as the consensus candidate of the MDA for the election slated to be held on June 19.

However, some of the coalition partners’ mainly regional parties have expressed concern over the support extended by the lone NPP MP from Tura Agatha K Sangma to then Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in parliament ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.  

One of the regional parties has even threatened to abstain from voting during the RS polls.

“We are still highly concerned about the NPP’s stand over the issue after its Lok Sabha MP had openly supported the CAB, now CAA,” said one of the ministers, on request of anonymity.

Asked, he however said his party has no intention to vote for the Congress nominee Kennedy Khyriem. “We will be sitting soon to decide on whether to abstain from voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election,” he added.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has witnessed a series of protests against the CAA, which seeks to provide citizenship to illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The NPP-led MDA government is backed by the BJP and other regional parties – UDP, HSPDP, PDF, NCP, KHNAM – and independents.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has claimed that the MDA partners are united for the Rajya Sabha polls and said that he would convene a meeting of the alliance on June 17.