Two BJP allies have announced plans to merge with other parties and leaders of the Northeast for “a strong, unified, and indigenous political voice at the national level”.

The announcement came during a joint news conference at the Constitution Club here on Tuesday by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma of the National People’s Party, Pradyot Debbarma of Tipra Motha, Daniel Langthasa of the People’s Party, Assam, and former BJP minister of Nagaland, Mmhonlumo Kikon.

Sangma said: “For too long, we, the young leaders in the Northeast, have spoken about the same issues and concerns of our people, but from different platforms and political spaces. We have realised that our strength lies in unity and that it is time to give our people one collective voice.”

He announced the formation of a nine-member committee headed by former Meghalaya minister James Sangma.

Chief minister Sangma said: “Today we are only announcing that we have decided that we will work together and the modalities of that are going to be worked out within the next 45 days.... We’re not here to fight with anybody. We’re not here to try to say that we are going to contest against anybody. We are only saying that the platform or entity that we’re trying to create is something that the Northeast today needs.”

When questioned, Debbarma spelt out at the end of the news conference that the “platform or entity” would be created by a complete merger. He said: “We are all going to come in and merge and become one political entity. One name, one symbol, one flag.”

When asked about the party’s ideology, Debbarma replied: “We are all bound by the Constitution of India and the Constitution of India clearly mentions... ‘secular’... and we will always speak for those people whose constitutional rights, regardless of any religion or ethnicity, are being violated...

“Whether it is one community, one faith or another, whether it is atrocities in Bangladesh with regard to the minorities or whether it is within India, if we feel that there are unfair means being used, we will stand up for the voiceless people, the indigenous people of the Northeast.”

He added: “We are fighting for the protection of the Sixth Schedule. There are common problems of illegal (im)migration happening from neighbouring countries, alienation of tribal land.... Some of the most intellectual and wise people do not know enough about the Northeast because it is not taught.... Curriculum does not have chapters on
the Northeast.”