Meghalaya CM backs Assam’s concert push, says ‘healthy competition’ good for NE
Calling Northeast a natural music destination, Sangma urged all states to jointly promote the region’s concert economy
Shillong, Dec 9: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, on Tuesday, said “healthy and positive competitiveness between states is important” to ensure the Northeast becomes a top global destination for music concerts.
Responding to Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma’s statement to make Guwahati as one of the top global concert destinations, Sangma said, such efforts are a welcome sign.
“It’s a healthy competition and positive competitiveness is very important. Meghalaya and Shillong will have their niche...and is different from Guwahati. Each city region has its own uniqueness,” Sangma said.
Building on this “uniqueness” has its own competitive advantages and “playing around those advantages should be the strategy of each state government of the region,” Sangma said.
Chief Minister Sangma said the Assam CM’s statement therefore fulfils a larger regional aspiration.
“We have always said the northeast region is a music destination and we welcome this (Assam’s CM) move and hope all the northeast states move together and promote music and concert economy,” he added.
Sangma’s remarks comes a day after Sarma, on December 8, said that with the Post Melone concert, the first under Assam’s newly launched concert economy, Guwahati, alongside Shillong, is set to evolve into a major platform for global artistes.
“There are people pouring in from the US and UK to watch his performance. Hotels are 100 percent filled. It helps the economy, and the Assam government has not financially supported organising Malone’s concert. What was earlier an advantage for Shillong, will now also be for Guwahati," he had said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minster Sarma had posted on social media, saying, “Post Malone performing in Guwahati is more than a concert. It's a milestone in Assam's rise as a true cultural hub. There was a time when fans flocked to Shillong for rock shows. Today, Guwahati takes centre stage, marking a new beginning for our cultural journey.”