Trouble for MDA after UDP declares distaste for BJP

SHILLONG: Trouble seems to be brewing within the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) with the United Democratic Party insisting it is not comfortable rubbing shoulders with the BJP and the coordination committee deciding to meet to discuss the issue after the council elections.
The UDP, which had recently made its reluctance to share the MDA platform with the BJP known, on Monday, reiterated it stood firm in its stand. The party developed an allergy towards the saffron party after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill fiasco, which the latter had pushed hard to pass in the Rajya Sabha despite strong opposition to it across the North East.
Deputy Chief Minister and senior NPP leader, Prestone Tynsong on Monday said that the coordination committee would sit shortly after the council elections to discuss the matter.
The MDA’s 39 MLAs include seven from the UDP.
“The NPP alone cannot decide on the matter. We need to sit together and decide,” Tynsong said while informing that the matter has not been discussed in the alliance until now.
Stating that they don’t want their partners to be uncomfortable in the alliance, he added that the coordination committee would discuss the matter with other partners like HSPDP, PDF, NCP and Independents.
When asked about the claims of UDP that the coalition partners have been apprised about the issue, Tynsong maintained that the matter has not been discussed.
Earlier, UDP vice-president, Allantry F Dkhar, while expressing the party’s unwillingness to remain with the BJP in the ruling alliance, had also averred other partners too were not comfortable working with the latter ever since the issue of CAB took centre stage.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Dkhar said the MDA coordination committee will meet after the council elections and, among other things, will discuss removal of the BJP. The party has two MLAs — AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai.
The BJP was seen as an adversary in the state over CAB and calls to drop it from the alliance were raised.
Although the bill was finally not tabled in Rajya Sabha, the row over it was revived with BJP national president Amit Shah vowing to bring it back once the BJP returns to power.
Dkhar said that the party is firm in its stand to oust the BJP from the MDA government.
Asked if the UDP will snap ties with the MDA if its demand to remove the BJP is not met, he simply said, “We will cross the bridge when it comes.”
Dkhar contended that it is meaningless to be part of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) — a brainchild of the BJP — as the BJP is adamant to implement the CAB, which is a threat to the identity of the indigenous people.
According to him, the UDP is supporting the NPP in the MDA government and is not aware of how the BJP, People’s Democratic Alliance and an independent MLA came on board.
He maintained it would be different if UDP was leading the government.
Slamming BJP leaders like Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam minister) and Union ministers K Alphonse and Kiren Rijiju, Dkhar said the party had hijacked government formation in the state giving the impression that it played a major role.
Stating that number counts, he said the BJP has no major role to play since it only has two MLAs.
On the other hand, Dkhar also reiterated opposition to the Congress for indulging in misinformation against the UDP.
He pointed out that the chairman of the All India Congress Committee has announced that the CAB will be part of Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA and Cabinet minister, AL Hek said the party has never betrayed the alliance and will remain with it.
He recalled that even in 2008 during the MPA government, the UDP was happily working with the BJP and it was not BJP but somebody else who betrayed the alliance which ultimately led to the collapse of the government.
He is, however, confident that the alliance would continue to work together and last its full term.