Shillong, Feb 9: BJP National Council Member Bashailang Khongwir on Wednesday expressed support to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for accommodating all five Congress MLAs in the MDA government.
In a statement, Khongwir said he endorses the statement made by the party MLA AL Hek that Congress MLAs joining the government will help BJP as they all these years had been falsely accusing the BJP time and again, and now finally aligning with BJP has only proven the allegations against BJP are baseless.
He said the decision of the Congress MLAs to support the government means that they have already merged with parties like NPP, UDP and BJP in MDA who fought tooth and nail in their election battles to try and wipe out the Congress in Meghalaya.
“The BJP as a party should be happy about it as this will help our party’s performance in 5 state elections. Finally Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of Congress-mukt Bharat is becoming reality with Meghalaya leading the way,” he added.
His statement came a day after the BJP state president Ernest Mawrie had expressed disappointment over the Chief Minister’s decision to welcome the support and joining of the Congress MLAs as he maintained that it is not possible for the BJP and Congress to work together. Mawrie said he is waiting for direction from the central leadership on whether to pull out of the government.
Khongwir, however, said that the decision of whether we should severe ties or not lies with the BJP legislature party.
“This means the decision lies with both the MLAs since it is not an organisational matter, so the party leaders have nothing to do with it. The support of BJP MDCs in favour of Trinamool Congress in GHADC was also their decision and I don’t think they have consulted the party president. So let’s rejoice that Meghalaya is congress-mukt (free) rather than thinking about whether to severe ties or not,” he said.
