In a significant political development aimed at fostering unity and stronger representation for the Northeastern region of India, several regional parties and leaders have come together to form a pan-Northeast political platform. Announced on Tuesday at a press conference held at the Constitution Club in Delhi, this initiative seeks to create a singular political entity that truly reflects the aspirations and interests of the diverse peoples of the Northeast. The founding members include Meghalaya’s ruling National People’s Party (NPP), Tripura’s Tipra Motha party, and the Peoples Party of Assam, among others.
The announcement was made by prominent leaders such as Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, Peoples Party founder Daniel Langthasa, and other representatives of the region. They collectively declared their intention to complete all formal procedures and officially launch the new political party within 45 days. To oversee the formation process, former BJP national spokesperson Mmhonlümo Kikon has been appointed as the member secretary of the party in formation.
Addressing the media, Conrad Sangma emphasized the historic nature of this collaborative move. He said, “We, leaders from different states of the Northeast, have come together today to make a collective and historic announcement i.e. the coming together of various voices of our region to form a united singular political entity that truly represents the aspirations of our people.” Sangma highlighted that although young leaders from the region have long voiced the concerns of their communities, they have often done so from fragmented platforms. This new unified platform, he stressed, would consolidate these voices to present a stronger, collective voice for the Northeast.
Sangma also drew inspiration from the legacy of his father, the late P.A. Sangma, a towering political figure in the Northeast. After leaving the Indian National Congress in 1999, P.A. Sangma co-founded the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alongside Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar. He later went on to establish the National People’s Party (NPP) in 2013, which has since become the only Northeast-origin party to be recognized as a national party in India. This continuity of vision, Sangma indicated, forms the foundation for the new political initiative.
Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, the royal scion-turned-politician and leader of Tipra Motha, reaffirmed his commitment to unity through his slogan “thansa,” meaning unity in Kokborok, the indigenous language of Tripura. Since the formation of Tipra Motha in 2021, Pradyot has advocated for regional unity that transcends ethnic and community divisions. Despite recent tensions and allegations of clashes between his party and its ally, the BJP, Pradyot reiterated that unity remains the foremost priority.
He underscored that the new platform aims to raise the voice of the voiceless in a unified and cohesive manner—something he believes has been lacking among regional parties. “Today’s announcement marks the first step towards building this common platform,” said Sangma. He further explained that a committee would be constituted to deliberate on the structure, modalities, and future course of action for the proposed political entity. The goal is to ensure that the people of the Northeast are heard, respected, and represented through a strong indigenous political voice at the national level. “Together, we stand committed to building a stronger, more united Northeast,” Sangma affirmed.
Pradyot Kishore elaborated that all parties involved in the initiative have signed an agreement to form this new platform. They collectively share concerns regarding fundamental issues such as protection of land rights, preservation of culture and language, education, and securing the future of the next generation in the region. However, he pointed out that these concerns have not always reached the appropriate forums or elicited the necessary attention, which motivated them to create a common platform. “If we speak in one voice for the future of our children, perhaps our solutions will happen and people will take us more seriously,” he said.
Addressing skeptics who doubted whether such regional unity would ever materialize beyond mere discussions, Pradyot stated that the process has already begun. He also raised concerns about the alleged racial discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. The new party, he said, would work to ensure that the voices of Northeastern people living outside the region are adequately represented