SHILLONG, AUG 24: Senior leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Wanweiroy Kharlukhi has resigned from National People’s Party (NPP).
Kharlukhi tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party today.
In a letter to NPP state president Prestone Tynsong, the former MP wrote, “I hereby tender my resignation from the primary membership of the National People’s Party with immediate effect.”
“I request you to kindly accept my resignation and take necessary steps to remove my name from the primary membership records of the party with immediate effect,” he stated.
Expressing gratitude to the party, Kharlukhi stated that he sincerely thanks the party leadership and fellow members for the opportunities, support, and experiences extended to him during his association with the party.
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Kharlukhi’s exit personal decision
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has termed Kharlukhi’s resignation from the party as his personal decision.
“It is a decision that he has taken at his own level and I have nothing to say. I accept whatever his decision is,” Sangma told reporters.
Stating that he shares a long association with Kharlukhi since the time of his late father P A Sangma, the chief minister stated, “We have worked for a very long time together and we have done many things positively for the state and for the party. I cherish those moments. There comes a time when he has his own mind and maybe there are some things that he wishes to do. We have no issues with that.”
Sangma stated that the party has always respected its leaders.
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The chief minister recalled that his late father had wanted Kharlukhi to become Rajya Sabha MP much earlier, but he had declined at that time.
“My late father was very keen that he should become Rajya Sabha MP, but at that time he had rejected that offer and that is why Thomas Sangma became the Rajya Sabha MP. I felt that a person who has been very active in politics and has given a lot of his time to governance and to people should be voicing our concern in Parliament. So, we went ahead and elected him as the Rajya Sabha MP,” Sangma stated.
The chief minister stated Kharlukhi may have his own concerns and plans for the future.
Expressing personal sadness over the development, Sangma stated, “People will come and people will go, it is okay. On a personal note, I am of course very sad that this has happened. I did not expect this to happen, but I respect it and I accept it.”
Sangma asserted that the party will continue its work.
“We will move on and the party will continue to work. We have a lot of work to be done and a lot of people have joined the party. That is the nature of politics and party politics,” Sangma added.
Addressing whether the party will persuade Kharlukhi to reconsider, the NPP chief stated, “We will see, we will discuss with the party leaders and then we will take a call.”
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No misunderstanding
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and NPP national vice president Sniawbhalang Dhar stated that there is no misunderstanding behind former Rajya Sabha MP W R Kharlukhi’s resignation from the party.
Dhar stated that he learned about the resignation from the party president today.
“As a party and as my friend, we will miss him. He did not mention any reason for his resignation,” Dhar said.
The resignation will not affect the NPP, as such movements are common in politics, Dhar stated.
“There is no conflict at all. In a political party, people come and go. Maybe one is going, hundred are coming, sometimes hundred are going, one is coming. Parties keep getting new friends and some friends leave. But as a friend, I will definitely miss him,” Dhar added.
