SHILLONG, SEPT 4: NPP National Vice President and Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Friday sought support for Shillong Lok Sabha bypoll candidate Dr DRL Nonglait, saying an MP from the ruling side would be a gain for the state.
Campaigning at Mawryngkneng, Dhar said Dr Nonglait has toured all 36 constituencies in four months and people now say NPP has a good candidate.
“He holds 9-10 degrees and therefore he is most suitable to represent us in Parliament, a God-fearing man,” Dhar said.
“This upcoming election is very important, if we get an MP from the government side it will be a gain for our State,” he said, adding, “If we get MP from one house, Chief Minister from another house, we are only busy fighting, there is no time to work.”
Listing MDA achievements, Dhar said the state budget rose from Rs 9,000 crore in 2018 to Rs 30,000 crore in eight years.
In sports, the budget went from Rs 80 crore to Rs 1,000 crore per year, with India’s biggest football stadium worth Rs 732 crore coming up at Mawkhanu, he said.
He cited the Rs 27,000 crore four-lane Greenfield road from Ri-Bhoi to Rattacherra and said 3,000 km of roads were upgraded and 1,700 km of new roads built from the State Plan, besides thousands of km sanctioned by the Centre.
Dhar said infant mortality has dropped through the CM Motherhood Scheme, several CHCs and PHCs have been upgraded, and interviews for Grade C and D jobs will be abolished from 2027.
He also recalled that the Assembly passed a resolution opposing uranium mining after 54 years and gave official status to Khasi language after 53 years.
“Go to 60 constituencies, the NPP Government never discriminates against anyone in terms of development,” Dhar said.
