NPP new alternative for indigenous Assamese amid rifts in AGP?

Guwahati, March 6, 2019:

The National People's Party (NPP) has begun its foray into Assam politics as the party launched its Assam State Unit today.

The party has opened a regional office at Kahilipara in Guwahati and Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP President Conrad K Sangma will address a gathering at the Dispur Press Club today.

The NPP party made national headlines when its leader Conrad K Sangma joined the indigenous peoples' movement to defeat the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. While Sangma was aided in those exploits by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the AGP party has since received much criticism for failing to take a concrete stand before the Lok Sabha elections and many AGP leaders, including new NPP Convenor Dilip Bora, have deserted the party.

Whether the NPP will emerge as a viable alternative to the AGP remains to be seen, but the Meghalaya-based party is already making waves in the biggest Northeastern state, Assam, with the grand launch.