PA Sangma launches party, joins NDA

NEW DELHI Jan 6, 2013( TNN): Pitching for the tribal cause, former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, who broke with Sharad Pawar's NCP last year to contest the Presidential elections against Congress nominee Pranab Mukherjee, launched his own National People's Party (NPP) on Saturday and joined hands with BJP-led NDA.

Launching the NPP at the "national level," here Sangma said, it has been active for long as a recognised party from Manipur. Sangma had previously joined hands with NDA after he put together a coalition of north-east parties ahead of the 2004 election.

The former Speaker, who is president of the party, said his daughter Agatha, MP from Tura, Meghalaya, will remain "in NCP for the time being on technical grounds," but sounded confident that "she will fight the next elections as an NPP candidate."

Agatha had to resign as Union minister on her party NCP's directions after she campaigned for her father PA Sangma in the July, 2012 Presidential elections in defiance of the party which is a constituent of the ruling UPA.

"Book will be the national symbol of the party because we believe that only literacy and education can empower the weaker sections," said Sangma.

NPP will contest the Meghalaya assembly elections due soon and is ready with the names of 33 candidates, Sangma announced.

Sangma was backed by the BJP-led NDA during the Presidential polls, and hence it was almost expected that he would join hands with the Opposition alliance.

Sangma who unsuccessfully contested the Presidential polls last year as a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India said here on Saturday that his party will give due importance to tribal and women issues.

"Though the party is meant for all and its membership is open for everyone, it is going to be tribal centric," said Sangma.

He announced that former Union minister Arvind Netam will be working president of the new party.

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