Shillong, May 12 (IANS) National People's Party supremo P.A. Sangma Monday met BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Gujarat and apprised him of the political situation and economic problems in the northeastern states.
"I have briefed him on the political situation in our northeastern states and on the need to improve the economic development in our region to ensure a peaceful atmosphere," Sangma told IANS by phone from Gandhinagar.
"During my meeting with Modi I have stressed on the need to further improve bilateral relations with Bangladesh or Myanmar to boost economic and trade investment in the region," the former Lok Sabha speaker said.
Exuding confidence of winning from the Tura parliamentary constituency in western Meghalaya, Sangma said he expected that National Democratic Alliance would garner more seats in the northeast as people in the region are fed up with Congress' failures to ensure development.
Sangma's daughter Agatha K Sangma, the youngest parliamentarian in the current Lok Sabha representing Tura constituency, quit the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and did not contest Lok Sabha election to make room for her father who had earlier represented the constituency.
"Like in the country, our people in the region want a change of government at New Delhi for economic development and stability. Therefore, I am expecting that NDA will be ahead of the UPA in the northeast," he said.
Of the 25 seats in the region (14 in Assam, two each in Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and one each in Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim), Congress secured 13 in the last Lok Sabha polls in 2009 while the Bharatiya Janata Party got four seats.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) won Tripura's two seats, while one seat each was bagged by regional parties Asom Gana Parishad, All India United Democratic Front and Bodo People's Front in Assam and the Naga People's Front and the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) secured the lone parliamentary seats from Nagaland and Sikkim respectively.
Congress is in power in Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya while the CPI-M-led Left Front rules Tripura. The NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland is ruling in Nagaland and the SDF in Sikkim.
Sangma reiterated Modi has "all the qualities of a prime minister", and said Gujarat chief minister will become prime minister provided the NDA has the numbers in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
"I am sure he will be the next prime minister, as he also has all the qualities of a prime minister," he told journalists here earlier.
Asked if he would be inducted as a minister in the NDA-led ministry if it forms the government, Sangma said:" It is the prerogative of the prime minister and I am ready to serve the country in every position."
The country's nuclear power capacity has increased by 40% in 8 years. Union Minister Jitendra Sin
Amid the political upheaval in Maharashtra, the Shinde faction has got a big relief from the Supr
The farmer movement has been 44 days. The 9th round meeting with the farmers' government is going
Defense Ministry again held a press conference today amid nationwide protests over the Agneepath
Following the recommendation of the Haryana government, Governor Bandaru Dattatreya dissolved the
Nepal’s national airline has been compelled to issue an apology following a serious cartogr
The Supreme Court has termed the conversion of religion by intimidation or greed as a serious mat
Coach Waqar vows Pakistan comeback
Christchurch, Feb 19 (IANS) Pakistan chief coach Waqar Younis has insisted his team will bounce
In many states of the country, the situation is worse than the heat, the hot air from above is tr
Gold and silver prices extended their decline on July 17, with the India Bullion and Jewellers As