Electoral bonds were a step towards transparency, says Meghalaya CM in support of PM Modi

TURA: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma reiterated his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on electoral bonds on Tuesday, stating that they were a move towards transparency and a step in the right direction.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, CM Sangma expressed, "The introduction of electoral bonds aimed to bring transparency to electoral funding. I firmly believe that this was a positive step. It ensured anonymity, preventing any particular company's name from being associated with a specific party. If a company purchases electoral bonds, this transaction may be reflected in the company's balance sheet. Therefore, electoral bonds were a step towards transparency. Even though the Supreme Court has now disclosed everyone's names, I still stand by the belief that this was a step in the right direction."

Addressing the BJP Manifesto's mention of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Sangma commented, "I haven't seen the BJP Manifesto, but I am aware that CAA is exempted in sixth schedule areas, and Meghalaya falls under the sixth schedule area."

The National People's Party (NPP) is contesting both parliamentary seats in Shillong and Tura. Agatha Sangma, sister of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, is the sitting MP and NPP candidate from Tura. Sangma expressed confidence in winning both seats.

"We are confident of securing victory in both seats this time. The impact of the work carried out by NPP in the last 6 years is evident, particularly in Garo Hills. The public will vote for the NPP for the development initiatives undertaken. Our MP, Agatha Sangma, has made significant contributions to these development efforts. Therefore, we urge the people to come forward and support our MP. The opposition is currently fragmented, with leaders from the former Congress party dispersing into different factions. Due to this fragmented opposition, I believe our MPs will secure victory by a considerable margin," CM Sangma stated confidently.

The voters of Meghalaya will cast their ballots on April 19.