SHILLONG: The 24-year-old, Tony Marbaniang who is engaged in mudslinging with veteran politician of the state and a BJP leader J.A. Lyngdoh after he had been expelled from the party in charges of anti-party activities, has challenged the state BJP leadership to provide proof of the charges levelled against him and demanded “justice”.
Referring to a video clip in circulation showing the incident at Oakland where JA Lyngdoh was allegedly speaking against him, Marbaniang told reporters on Monday, “Shibun (state BJP president) told me that JA Lyngdoh does not want to talk about it. JA Lyngdoh is avoiding me. He is scared of me.”
He asserted that he would ensure JA Lyngdoh does not win the 2018 Assembly elections. He said, “I will not let him win (the elections).”
Marbaniang was expelled from the primary membership of BJP for six years by the state BJP leadership for indulging in anti-party activities. “I went to meet Shibun Lyngdoh who asked me to meet Bashai Khongwir and he, in turn, asked me to meet Lyngdoh.”
Challenging the state BJP leaders to substantiate their charges of anti-party activities leveled against him, Marbaniang said, “Do they have proof? It is the leaders who are being anti-party as they have expelled me without any serving a show-cause notice in contrary to the provisions of the BJP’s constitution.”
“I will be challenging Shibun Lyngdoh. Please don’t dare challenge me. I have challenge Bashai Khongwir and even the leaders of the disciplinary committee of the party to show me the proof (of any anti-party activities on my part),” Marbaniang said.
Criticizing the state BJP leadership, he said that they were not fit to be leaders if they were ignorant aware of the constitution of the BJP.
The tug-of-war between Marbaniang and JA Lyngdoh started two months back after the former alleged that the latter defamed him during a party meeting held at Oakland.
It may be mentioned that both of them were vying for the 17-North Shillong Constituency. In the wake of his expulsion from the BJP, Marbaniang said he would contest polls taking his supporters into confidence whether to contest as an independent candidate or to get enrolled in some other party.
