Formally announcing the Guwahati declaration of the BJP-led anti-Congress political alliance, North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), party’s national president Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the prime objective and focus of the alliance will be to make North-East free of Congress rule.
Speaking at the formal launching of NEDA here, Shah said that the coming together of 11 regional parties from eight States of North-East under NEDA platform is set to make a big contribution to region’s political and developmental spheres in coming days.
“Though BJP is the largest party in NEDA, all smaller regional parties will have a level playing field in championing the cause of the region,” Shah said while adding that NEDA will be a platform to work together to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the region.
“This is a region which is full of potentialities. At the same time, this is a region in which is faced with multiple challenges like unemployment, infiltration, separatism and violence. Through NEDA we all will work for Northeast’s overall development and progress.
Besides being a political platform, will also play the role of integrating northeast with rest of the country emotionally,” Shah reiterated.
The announcement of the Guwahati declaration of NEDA assumes significance as Congress ruled Manipur and Meghalaya are going to polls in 2017 and 2018. It may be mentioned here that Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), Naga People’s Front (NPF), People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA), Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), Mizo National Front (MNF), National People’s Party (NPP), United Democratic Party (UDP) and Ganashakti have attended the meeting on Wednesday.
Assam Health Minister and convener of NEDA, Himanta Biswa Sarma, while announcing the “Guwahati Declaration” said that political objective of the alliance will be to ensure non-Congress Governments are formed in the region’s eight States in successive Assembly polls.
“We will ensure that in 2019 lok Sabha polls, no Congress MPs are elected from northeastern States. Northeast have 25 MPs. Our target is all the 25 MPs are from NEDA,” Sarma said.
With Manipur going to polls next year, Sarma also pointed out that prime task of NEDA from now on would be to rout the ruling Congress in that State.
Besides Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Union DONER Minister Jitendra Singh, Chief Ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim — Sarbananda Sonowal, TR Zeliang, Kalikho Pul and Pawan Kumar Chamling attended the convention.