Shillong, April 8: Sitting MLAs from different political parties including the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) have expressed keen interest to join the BJP ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls.

Sources informed that at least four-five sitting MLAs and 12-13 former MLAs have approached for party ticket.

“Some of them are also from the NPP,” they said.

When asked, BJP leader AL Hek refused to disclose the names of the sitting MLAs and said, “I don’t want to disclose the names but it is already there in the pipeline. When the right time comes we will tell you.”

“Do you think that all sitting MLAs are winnable candidates? If they are winnable candidates we will take them but if not how will we waste our time. If they are winnable candidates, if they want to join the BJP the door is open,” he said.

Hek further expressed confidence that the BJP will get a comfortable number to lead the new government in 2023.

He further claimed that people of Meghalaya are now accepting the BJP.

“However, we need some leaders to join the party as in Meghalaya it is not only party base politics, it is individual base politics. So we need both as people now are already accepting the BJP and are also accepting the Prime Minister,” he said.

The BJP leader also claimed, “Whenever we are talking to people in rural areas they say the Modi party is the best – so everybody is accepting the BJP as the Modi party unlike the previous years where people are hesitating and do not want to hear the name of BJP… Now they are saying rice (is being provided by) BJP, gas BJP, water BJP. You talked of any schemes being implemented in the state that were initiated by the PM.”