SHILLONG: The NPP is certain that the BJP-led NDA will come to power again in Delhi.
NPP state president WR Kharlukhi told reporters on Monday that there is no doubt about NDA retaining power at the Centre.
To a question, Kharlukhi said, “If a non-BJP government comes to power, the NPP will sit in the opposition.”
The NPP leader also clarified that NPP’s relation with the NDA dates back to 2012 when party leader PA Sangma contested the presidential polls supported by the BJP and others.
Congress spokesperson Zenith Sangma had taken to Facebook to criticise NPP national president and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for accompanying the prime minister in Varanasi when the latter filed his nomination after the elections in Meghalaya.
According to Zenith, it was contrary to the claim of the chief minister during the campaign that he and the NPP did not have anything to do with the BJP. He termed it as a disguise as both the NPP and the BJP enjoy a deep relationship.
However, Kharlukhi rubbished the Congress’s allegations.
Stating that the Congress is resorting to misinformation campaign regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), Kharlukhi reminded that the meeting of the regional parties on January 29 this year in Guwahati that was chaired by Conrad had decided to oppose the bill and again on February 9, the national general meeting of the NPP had stated that if the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, the party would withdraw support to the NDA.
“Since the BJP did not introduce the CAB in the Rajya Sabha, we continue to be part of the NDA,” Kharlukhi said.
According to the NPP leader, the Congress is spreading a political lie to defame the party highlighting the NPP-BJP nexus.
“The same political lie was spread during the district council polls but the Congress miserably failed in Khasi Hills and was decimated in Jaintia Hills. For the Lok Sabha polls, people will give a befitting reply and the Congress will be wiped out from Meghalaya,” Kharlukhi said. He also predicted that the wish of the Congress to come back to power in Meghalaya will remain a distant dream.
When asked about the BJP highlighting CAB in the election manifesto, Kharlukhi asserted that the NPP is very clear that any law that is against the people of the state will be opposed by the party.
No doubt about loyalty
Kharlukhi made it clear that all the coalition partners in the MDA worked for the common candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, Jemino Mawthoh, and termed contrary reports as rumours.
“The coalition partners worked hard and I had also campaigned for the common candidate. There were also times when it was said that some Congress members did not campaign for the party MP (Vincent Pala). So these are all rumours,” he said.
Common Minimum Programme
To a question on the common minimum programme (CMP), Kharlukhi informed that the report card on one year’s achievements of the NPP-led MDA government highlights it.
“We came out with a report card but the chief minister will know better about the common minimum programme,” Kharlukhi said.
