SHILLONG: Political parties in the State have expressed doubt over BJP’s claims that it would form the government in Meghalaya in 2018 with a swiping majority.
A day after senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said the party is targeting to win all the 60 Assembly seats, many in the political fraternity here felt it was an exaggerated claim.
Congress senior leader Deborah Marak said BJP can claim that they will form the government like in Assam but it cannot be complacent and over-confident.
Pointing out that BJP did not get a majority in Manipur, Marak said the Congress will be the single-largest party in Meghalaya in the 2018 Assembly elections.
“You see, it (the Congress winning majority) will happen and it is impossible for BJP to become the largest single party in Meghalaya,” she added.
UDP vice president Allantry Dkhar also feels the BJP’s claim is beyond reality. Stating that as a party that is at the helm of affairs in New Delhi, BJP can make such tall claims, Dkhar said it is an uphill task for the saffron brigade in the age of social media to erase its communal tag.
“Meghalaya is not Manipur,” he said and added that it is a far cry for BJP to claim that people of the State will vote for it.
Asserting that the political dynamics in Meghalaya is different from that in Assam or Manipur, HSPDP President Ardent Basaiawmoit said, “I am surprised to see that it (BJP) is dreaming of forming a government in Meghalaya and on what basis. What has it done for Meghalaya so far?”
He added that HSPDP has no problem with BJP’s agenda of development and Good Governance but HSPDP cannot afford any political entity to disturb the secular fabric of the country.
In this context, the senior leader pointed out the Centre’s recent decisions on Good Governance Day and Digital India Day and said this has hurt the feelings of the Christians in Meghalaya.
“What is going on in Uttar Pradesh and other states about cow vigilantes has created a doubt in the minds of the people about BJP’s sincerity as far as minorities are concerned,” he said.
NPP leader James Sangma, however, said the party is in alliance with BJP and it will continue to do so. He also sounded optimistic that a non-Congress Government will be formed in Meghalaya.
Asked about BJP’s claims, Sangma declined to comment and said he cannot speculate whether people of the State will vote for the BJP.
