SHILLONG: The second meeting of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) held in Delhi did not harp on any pre-poll alliances with likeminded parties, including NPP and UDP, for the 2018 polls in Meghalaya as the focus of the political parties is to prepare the polls separately.
State BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh, who attended the NEDA meeting, said over phone from Delhi on Tuesday that there was no agenda on the issues of pre-poll alliances in Meghalaya as the meeting focused on development initiatives.
BJP will, however, support the three regional parties – UDP, HSPDP and NPP – to fight against the Congress regime in Meghalaya and in other states where the party is still in power, said Paul Lyngdoh, who represented UDP at the meeting.
“Though there is no proposal for pre-poll alliance but we will keep the spirit of NEDA alive and ensure that we keep the Congress out of power in the next elections,” Paul said.
NPP was represented by Conrad Sangma. Nine regional parties from the region attended the conclave.
“We are not in a hurry to form pre-poll alliances and discuss post-poll situations in Meghalaya as before the polls, every political party is free to strengthen its positions,” Shibun said.
According to him, while the focus of the second NEDA meeting was on development initiatives, it was decided to set up a NEDA secretariat in January next year in Guwahati for better coordination among all the northeastern states.
The members present in the meeting expressed the need on the part of BJP to expand development activities throughout the region.
“The issues related to funding several projects in the North East, besides mining related matter, were also discussed in the meeting,” Shibun said.
He added that the progress of railway network and other pending projects was also assessed.
The first NEDA meeting was held in July last year in Guwahati attended by NDA partners from the NE.
In the conclave, Paul raised the issues of ban on cow slaughter, railways, influx, GST and the North East Industrial policy.
