Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 29: Former legislator of Mawsynram and NPP spokesman Himalaya M Shangpliang today said he is committed to working hard and ensuring victory for the party’s official candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Shangpliang was one among the 5-6 aspirants for the ticket from Shillong parliamentary constituency. However, the NPP has recently announced cabinet minister and 4-time legislator from East Shillong Ampareen Lyngdoh as its candidate for the Shillong seat.

“Yes, I was one of the aspiring candidates but there are no hard feelings, I am a member of the party, I will continue to be a member of the Party and serve the party in a bigger way,” Shangpliang told reporters.

Shangpliang said, “There was no assurance as such because I think you would remember when I joined the party, I had already mentioned that I joined the party with no conditions. Therefore, I am here to serve the party to see that this party grows more”.

Shangpliang said he totally disagreed that failure to get the ticket was a political setback for him.

“I totally disagree, there is no political setback, every party who has more aspirants to contest an election is a healthy party and in a healthy manner we have to accept, today we may be aspirants, tomorrow we could be a candidate and therefore there is no setback,” he said

Shangpliang maintained that he would like to be a leader of the state, a leader of the downtrodden and a leader to the farmers and a leader of the poor and the needy.

Meanwhile, the former Mawsynram legislator said that he has no plans to contest the upcoming MDC elections.

“I am not contesting in the MDC but definitely will be working for the party to make sure that more MDCs come victorious from the party,” he said.