National People’s Party (NPP) president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has sought a second term from the voters on the ground that his party is the only one that could provide a “strong and stable” government in the state.

Sangma said this at a rally in Shillong on Thursday where he announced a list of 58 candidates for the upcoming election in the state.

Sangma said the upcoming polls were crucial for the state while harping on the stability factor because all the coalition partners are contesting on their own like in 2018, and the possibility of a hung house once again looms large.

The presence of the Opposition Trinamul and a struggling Congress will not make it smooth sailing.

The NPP had won 19 seats in 2018 while the Congress 21 but the former received the post-poll support of the United Democratic Party (6 MLAs), the People’s Democratic Front (4), the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (2), the BJP (2) and an Independent to form the government which is on verge of completing its tenure despite some testing times, especially from the BJP.

Sangma said: “Fifty years of the statehood have passed. The question is where we go from here, and how we move forward. Fifty years ago (1972), Meghalaya had a majority government. After 50 years, the question one has to ask: Will we get a majority government, will we give our vote to a party that has delivered?”

Sangma, who is contesting from the South Tura constituency yet again, asserted the party had laid the foundation for the development of the state in the past five years and believed the party will return with a full majority in the 60-member House.

The chief minister said the prayers of the people guided and reminded the party to do what was right.

“We were able to move forward despite the challenges... I believe you will support the NPP because it is the only party that can provide a strong and stable government in the state. We want you to join us and take Meghalaya forward....”

There are 17 fresh candidates and five women candidates among the 58 candidates to contest the upcoming polls likely to be held next month, said NPP spokesperson and one of the candidates Ampareen Lyngdoh.

In her speech, Ampareen had called for a “united vote” for the NPP to ensure a single-party rule to expedite the development of the state.

The party has not named its candidates for the Mairang and South Shillong seats, held by UDP chief Metbah Lyngdoh and BJP’s Sanbor Shullai respectively.

Sangma said: “When we took over the government, Meghalaya used to be at the bottom of the different rankings in the country but we did not fret and we took it as a challenge.”