TURA: The state BJP lost one more senior leader in Garo Hills on Tuesday, a day after Billykid A Sangma joined the NPP.
BJP state secretary Santosh R Marak, who was the party candidate from Williamnagar in last year’s state election, resigned from his position and also the primary membership.
The former Meghalaya Civil Service officer in his resignation letter to BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh said his party’s reluctance to contest the Tura Lok Sabha seat was one of the main reasons for his decision to step down.
“The party (BJP) has failed to put up its own candidate for the forthcoming parliamentary election in spite of the strong demand from party leaders and the cadre of Garo Hills. The party leadership is rather asking us to support others either directly or otherwise,” said Marak.
Accusing his party leadership of ‘back-stabbing’ its cadres and candidates, the outgoing BJP secretary went a step further to level charges of supporting rival candidates at the expense of their own.
“In the last MLA election rather than supporting and financing its own candidate in Williamnagar, there was open support and funding for others,” claimed the former candidate from Williamnagar who was defeated and relegated to the lower rung in the results.
He further alleged that the party workers and supporters have been sidelined from the developmental activities by the current state government even though the BJP is an alliance member.
“Although we are partners in the state government, yet we are completely sidelined in all decision-making concerning the developmental activities. We are not even beneficiaries of any central or state sponsored schemes,” accused Marak.
Meanwhile, speaking to this scribe, Lyngdoh said he was yet to receive the resignation letter of Marak.
He also said till date the party was yet to announce the names of candidates.
“We are also waiting for the announcement of the candidates’ names and cannot jump to conclusions at this juncture,” said Lyngdoh and pointed out that the death of Goa chief minister Mannohar Parrikar had kept most leaders engaged in the funeral services.
