SHILLONG: Regional parties which are supporting the NDA are in no hurry to sever ties with the ruling coalition at the Centre over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
The National People’s Party (NPP), which is heading the MDA along with BJP and UDP and other political parties, has not yet met to decide whether it should withdraw from the NDA.
NPP state president WR Kharlukhi said the party “will probably meet next week to take a call”.
“We are going to meet and discuss as NPP is there in almost every state of the North East. It may be mentioned that NPP is also supporting a BJP-led alliance government in Manipur,” he added.
The Asom Gana Parishad has already walked out of the ruling alliance with BJP in Assam.
The state BJP is mum on the controversy though its MLA AL Hek has protested against the bill.
Attempts were made to contact the state president of BJP Meghalaya, Shibun Lyngdoh, and BJP Meghalaya in-charge Nalin Kohli for their reaction but the duo did not respond.
Meanwhile, the United Democratic Party (UDP), which is part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance, has also not taken any decision with regard to its alliance with the saffron party. UDP senior leader Bindo M Lanong on Friday said the party was yet to meet to discuss the matter but added that “it will definitely meet over the issue of the bill to share their opinion”.
UDP and NPP are the two regional political parties which have often championed the cause of the indigenous population of the state and the region.
