SHILLONG: Ending all speculations, four sitting MLAs AL Hek (Congress), Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon (Independents) on Tuesday resigned from the post of MLA and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party later in the afternoon.
The four leaders on Tuesday afternoon submitted a joint resignation letter to the office of the Speaker citing personal ground as the reason for their resignation.
Later, the four legislators also attended a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party at Golf Link here which was also attended by the top brass of the BJP including Union Minister of State for Tourism, KJ Alphons, BJP’s National General Secretary, Ram Madhav and Party’s Meghalaya in charge, Nalin Kohli besides State leaders of the party.
Speaking at the gathering, K J Alphons claimed that the BJP was going to throw away the most corrupted government in the history of Meghalaya after Assembly election and warned the Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma, that his days were numbered.
Asserting that the Central Government wanted to turn Meghalaya into the biggest tourism destination, Alphons said that the ministry would give top priority to Meghalaya and a lot of projects would be sanctioned.
BJP’s National General Secretary, Ram Madhav, who was also present on the occasion said that the BJP is starting the new year by adding four MLAs into their kitty whereas Congress is starting the new year with the loss of 12 MLAs.
“This is a ghar wapsi for AL Hek as he went to some other places for some time,” Madhav said.
According to Madhav, BJP is the future for Meghalaya and it was time for a change.
He also asked other MLAs to join the party who are little hesitant in crossing the bridge saying all those who wants change in Meghalaya should come to BJP.
AL Hek who officially joined the BJP while recalling his experience of getting elected on a BJP ticket for three terms said, “Lotus will bloom in Pynthorumkhrah and in Meghalaya, “adding, “We need change, so we have joined the BJP.”
He said that the BJP would bring about change in Meghalaya, if it was elected with clear majority.
Justine Dkhar who was the first MLA to spell out his plan to join the BJP few months back said that BJP was a universal party with a dynamic and real leader like Narendra Modi.
Echoing similar views, Robinus Dkhar lamented that the Meghalaya was lagging far behind other states in terms of development.
Sanbor Shullai who also addressed the gathering said that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi wanted to carry all towards the path of development irrespective or caste, creed and religion.
Shullai said that people of the country had the right to freedom of religion even as he asked BJP workers in the State to convey a message that, from now onwards, BJP would go door to door, locality to locality and village to village to enlighten people about the tactics of Congress which was fooling the people of the state on the name of religion for decades.
BJP Meghalaya in charge, Nalin Kohli clarified that BJP’s agenda was not negative while Congress party here did not want to talk about development. Some MDCs from Jaintia Hills also joined the BJP during the programme.