TURA: BJP leader Nalin Kohli has attacked chief minister Mukul Sangma’s government over the poor road condition in the Garo Hills region saying the MUA government in the state would be best remembered for taking the state backwards in the developmental sphere.
The national spokesperson of the BJP and Meghalaya in-charge was critical of the state government over the lack of repairs and maintenance of the Tikrikilla-Phulbari-Rajabala-Selsella road which has been riddled with potholes and stripped of its upper tarmac.
“The Congress under Mukul Sangma claims it is working for upliftment of minorities when in reality it can’t even provide a good road in the minority areas of Garo Hills. The longest distance from Guwahati to Agia in Assam took just 2 hours of travel whereas the shortest length from Tikrikilla to Rajabala took 6 hours. That is the condition of the roads provided by the Congress government,” claimed Kohli while speaking at Rajabala town in West Garo Hills on Thursday evening.
In a show of strength ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state, the BJP organized a large public rally to celebrate the annual convention of its Minority Morcha in the plains belt region bringing together several thousand of its supporters to the meeting.
“Travel on this road is a nightmare and once can imagine the difficulties the people in this region face everyday commuting on a road which is so damaged and neglected. I can assure you after next year’s state elections Meghalaya will have a non-Congress government with the BJP playing the lead role. When that happens we will ensure the Agia-Medipara-Phulbari-Tikrikilla road is repaired completely,” said Kohli much the applause of the crowds who had waited several hours for his arrival and hear him speak.
He also spoke on the Modi government’s efforts to implement Aadhar for the benefit of the people as money would go directly to the individual’s accounts.
“The opening of zero balance bank accounts by crores of people across the country as part of the prime minister’s initiate to ensure every individual had an account to his name would go a long way in checking diversion of funds because money meant for you can now go directly into your account,” said Kohli.
The BJP leader accused the ruling Congress in the state of failing to implement projects meant for minorities and cited the decline in the number of minority girls availing scholarships in Meghalaya.
“Under the Begum Hazrat Mahal scholarships for minority girls under Maulana Azad Education Foundation, each year 503 students from the minority community in Meghalaya can avail scholarships. However, last year only 170 were selected and this year was the lowest with only eight students being approved,” said the BJP national spokesperson while displaying numbers about the decline in the selection of candidates from the state.
The state BJP president, Shibun Lyngdoh and Rajabala MDC and candidate Sofiur Rahman also spoke at the public rally highlighting the developmental works under the Modi government.