NPP to quit NDA if Bill passed in RS

Shillong, February 9

Amid widespread protests across the Northeast over the contentious citizenship Bill, National Peoples Party (NPP) president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday threatened that his party would quit the BJP-led NDA if the proposed legislation was passed in the Rajya Sabha.

The party also demanded that the Centre should not go ahead with passing the Bill. The NPP adopted a resolution on its decisions at its general body convention here during the day in which its leaders from all four northeastern states where it is holding power or backing the government were present.

“The party took a unanimous resolution to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, and based on that decision, a resolution was passed. If the Bill is passed, the NPP will break its ties with the NDA,” Sangma told mediapersons here after the meeting.

“This decision was taken today at the general body meeting,” he said, adding that the NPP would submit the party's resolution to the Centre for information and its consideration. He said the resolution was adopted after receiving reports from various states in the region on the opposition to the bill.

Besides being in power in Meghalaya, the NPP backs the BJP governments in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.

The Bill, being vehemently opposed in the Northeast, was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8 and the Centre has said it will try to get the Rajya Sabha nod in this budget session. — PTI