Assam like grand alliance unlikely in Meghalaya
SHILLONG: The ‘grand pre- poll alliance’ of non- Congress political parties similar to what transpired in Assam, is unlikely to become a reality in Meghalaya ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls for varied reasons including the past experience of parties preferring post- poll alliances rather than pre- poll alliance in the State.
With the grand alliance of non- Congress parties emerging highly successful in neighbouring Assam, there is interest among the political parties in the State to go for a similar experiment to take on the Congress in 2018.
However, with different ideologies even among the regional parties like the UDP and the HSPDP, the move may not materialize.
Though the UDP is willing to have an alliance with likeminded parties for the next Assembly polls to be held in less than two years’ time, the BJP said the party is preparing to contest in all the 60 seats.
Recently, UDP president Donkupar Roy said though the UDP was open to have an alliance with the NPP, it was up to the BJP to take a decision in this regard.
However, reacting to this, Meghalaya BJP chief Shibun Lyngdoh said at the moment the BJP is strengthening its base in all the 60 constituencies in the State, and likewise, the UDP too should concentrate in strengthening its own party.
According to Lyngdoh, the state BJP is of the view that the party should contest in all the 60 seats.
“It is too early to speak about alliance and the matter should be discussed only at a later stage,” Lyngdoh said.
Even if the UDP, the NPP and the BJP come tighter, seat sharing will be a headache for the parties.
Though the BJP supported NPP candidate Conrad K. Sangma, who won the Tura Lok Sabha seat with a record margin, the BJP will be a major player in the Assembly polls aiming to win many seats on its own in Garo Hills.
Any division within the non Congress forces will be advantageous to the Congress as Chief Minister Mukul Sangma recently put it: “The Congress has always emerged as the single largest party”.
