SHILLONG: In an interview with PTI, Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party president Conrad Sangma said that the Congress's Nyay Yatra, which passed through several northeastern states, has succeded in creating a media buzz but may not actually end up fetching the party any votes. "I don't think they will get the outcome that they desire," said Sangma. The Congress party's latest Yatra started from Manipur on January 14 and crossed the state of Meghalaya on January 22.

Ahead of the general elections scheduled in April- May, the Yatra travelled across five of the eight northeastern states.    

During the interview, Sangma said, "When you do something, whatever energy you put in will obviously have some impact in one way or the other. The question is how much impact it will have. The amount of energy that has been put into this Yatra, would it fructify into an equivalent amount of votes being changed or coming in favour of the Congress party? I doubt it."

"Yes, it has created a big media buzz but winning an election is more than just a Yatra. The Congress has a lot of issues internally and organisationally. There are so many factors that need to be resolved. The Yatra is going on, and so many people are leaving the party. It is reflecting that there is a concern that they need to address, that they have to get their house in order in one way," he said.

Congress' Vincent Pala is the MP from Meghalaya's Shillong constituency, while NPP's Agatha Sangma is the MP from Tura.

The NPP has announced the candidature of state minister Ampareen Lyngdoh from Shillong this time. Agatha Sangma will fight again from Tura.

Asked if the NPP may win the Shillong seat this time, Sangma said, "We never take election lightly, we are working very hard. We never take our opponent easy. It's going to be tough, we will work hard and people will give our candidate an opportunity to represent them in the Lok Sabha."