From a Correspondent

SHILLONG, July 29: Former Lok Sabha Speaker and presidential candidate Purno Agitok Sangma will arrive in Shillong on Monday after his defeat in the hands of Pranab Mukherjee who became the 13th President of the country.

Confirming this on Sunday, State NCP president WR Kharlukhi said, “He (Purno) will address legislators, district council members and party workers on the next course of action to be taken by the party in the State.”

Sangma had resigned from the NCP and thus giving up his Tura Assembly seat to contest the presidential election as an independent candidate supported by the NDA.

The Meghalaya unit of the NCP has also refuted reports that the NCP would be meeting on Monday to decide whether or to stay in the party or resign.

The Meghalaya unit of the NCP is miffed with national president Sharad Pawar for not extending his support to Sangma in the presidential election. The NCP had supported Pranab Mukherjee, the UPA candidate for the post of president.

Meanwhile, Kharlukhi also refuted the news report that Sangma is contemplating a major move to bring out a party solely on tribal power. “As of now all these are speculation,” he said.

According to reports, the new political party is expected to be called the National Indigenous Peoples’ Party (NCP) and its formation could take place as early as the middle of August.

The party is expected to bank on the support of several million tribals in the country and Sangma could be going the Mayawati way on which the Dalits have given their political backing.