SHILLONG: While the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) was quick to snap its tie with BJP-led coalition government in Assam soon after contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in Lok Sabha, the regional parties in Meghalaya who are supporting the NDA are in no hurry to distance themselves from the NDA over the Bill.
The National People’s Party ( NPP) which is heading the MDA along with BJP and UDP and other political parties, has not yet sat to decide whether they should withdraw from the ambit of the NDA after the BJP at the centre passed the Bill despite stiff opposition from the North Eastern states.
NPP State president, WR Kharlukhi said that the party was going to meet probably within next week to a call on its future with the NDA
“ We are going to meet and discuss as NPP is there is almost every state of the North East be it Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur.
It may be mentioned that NPP is also supporting a BJP-led alliance Government in Manipur
Soon after AGP exited from alliance the BJP in Assam, three of its ministers also resigned from the state Cabinet in Assam
On the other hand, United Democratic Party (UDP) which is a part of BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) have not taken any decision so far with regards to its alliance with the BJP
UDP senior leader, Bindo M Lanong on Friday also echoed similar views saying that the party had not met so far to discuss the entire of things.
He also maintained that the party would definitely meet over the issues of Citizenship Amendment Bill to share their opinions on the matter.
It may be mentioned that entire North East is up in arms against the move of the BJP-led Central Government to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill as the people in the region fears that the Bill would adversely affect their existence.
Both UDP and NPP are the two regional political parties which has often championed to have stood for the indigenous population of the state and the region.
Meanwhile,the State BJP is mum on the entire controversy of Citizenship Amendment Bill though its MLA AL Hek has openly protested the idea of enacting the bill.
Attempts were made by the reporter to contact the state president of BJP Meghalaya, Shibun Lyngdoh and BJP Meghalaya in charge, Nalin Kohli for their reaction on the Bill but the duo did not picked up calls.