National People's Party to field 30 candidates for Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh

The National People’s Party (NPP) will field 30 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, party’s State unit president Thangwang Wangham said in Itanagar, on March 1. He said the primary criteria for candidate selection would be their potential for winning.

The National People's Party (NPP) will field 30 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, party’s State unit president Thangwang Wangham said in Itanagar, on March 1. He said the primary criteria for candidate selection would be their potential for winning.

"The main criteria for issuing tickets will be winnability factor of candidates. We will support the BJP government in the State and our Chief Ministerial candidate will be Pema Khandu," Mr. Wangham told PTI in an exclusive interview.

The NPP, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, is an ally of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and extends support to the Khandu government.

Mr. Wangham outlined the party's focus on development, youth employment, healthcare, education, and combating the drug menace. He emphasised the goal of creating a drug-free society by raising awareness among addicts about the consequences of narcotics.

"We will work for a drug-free society and will reach the addicts to make them aware of the ill effects of narcotics. Addicts should be given a second chance to lead a normal life," he said adding, drugs are a major cause for illiteracy, unemployment, social restlessness and growth of insurgency, which are the socio-economic and political burdens for the State.

Mr. Wangham, who was a three-time MLA from Longding-Pumao constituency but lost the electoral battle in 2019, said his party would work to make society free from drug abuse. He added that the party would also work on productivity and industrial development which is lacking in the State.