GUWAHATI, July 12 - The inaugural political conclave of the newly-formed North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will be held in the city tomorrow in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah where a �Guwahati Declaration� will be adopted by all the constituent political parties of the alliance.
Addressing a press conference here today, senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said that besides Shah, the conclave will also be attended by the Chief Ministers of four of the northeastern states � Assam�s Sarbananda Sonowal, Arunachal Pradesh�s Kalikho Pul, Sikkim�s Pawan Kumar Chamling and Nagaland�s TR Zeliang.
BJP national leaders Ram Madhav and Ram Lal, BJP chiefs of all the northeastern states, AGP chief Atul Bora, BPF supremo Hagrama Mahilary, Ganashakti leader Ranoj Pegu, National People�s Party leader Conrad Sangma, and leaders of the Mizo National Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, Naga People�s Front and of other NEDA constituents will also take part in the day-long conclave at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here.
�The Guwahati Declaration of NEDA will be signed by all the constituents of the alliance on the occasion,� said Sarma.
He added that the Declaration will focus on NEDA�s role in the local, national and international arena, including on ways to expand the presence of BJP and other non-Congress constituents in the region as part of the national effort of the NDA to make a �Congress-mukt Bharat�, as well as for ensuring the contribution of the northeastern region in the overall development of the country, besides formulating the region�s role in the international level as part of the Centre�s Act East policy.
Sarma said that the northeastern states contribute a very small number of MPs in Parliament, but if all the MPs from the region acted as a united front the Northeast will be able to play a major role in national politics.
The NEDA, a grouping of non-Congress parties, was formed in Guwahati on May 24 this year, the same day when the Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam Government was sworn in. Among its constituents are BJP, AGP, BPF, Ganashakti, National People�s Party, Mizo National Front, United Democratic Party, Naga People�s Front, People�s Party of Arunachal and Sikkim Democratic Front.
