Important to ensure peace, normalcy returns to Manipur: Conrad Sangma

Imphal, Oct 9 (PTI) Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP president Conrad Sangma on Thursday said it is very important to ensure that peace and normalcy return to Manipur.

Upon his arrival in Imphal airport on a two-day visit to Manipur, Sangma told reporters, "It is important to engage. If we don't connect with the grassroots and the people, then somewhere we are missing a point. So our idea is to reach out to the people and listen. We would like to reach out, listen and take suggestions.

Sangma, who is also the president of the National Peoples' Party (NPP), said he will be meeting party leaders, stakeholders, (representatives) of different communities and overall, in general, the people of Manipur.

He also said he is in the state "to observe, interact and engage with all stakeholders and to see how we take things forward and to ensure normalcy returns in Manipur.

The NPP has seven MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.

"Multiple efforts have been made, and some have given results, some are yet to give results. We are hopeful that with more engagement and interaction, we will stealthily head towards normalcy in Manipur," Sangma said.

Sangma said, "As a party, it is our endeavour to see how we can play a role in ensuring that we can lead to that normalcy. We would like to see normalcy return in Manipur, and part of that normalcy is also to see a democratically elected government in Manipur." He said that in the last few months, to a large extent, no major incidents have taken place. There has been a reduction in the violence, though it is not completely gone.

"It is a process and we are hopeful we can take it forward," the NPP president said, adding that, "My visit is to assess the situation and see how we as a party can play a role in that ... we are to serve the people, do our best, organise the party and leave it to the people to decide," he said.

"Election is still quite a time away. What is important is to ensure that peace and normalcy return to the state," Sangma added. PTI COR RG