SHILLONG: Different political parties in the state over the years have made claims and promises about resolving the long-pending boundary dispute with Assam but till date, the contentious issue continues to linger.
However, Meghalaya State BJP has now decided to constitute a committee and hold talks with Assam Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal.
The BJP’s State Party President, Ernest Mawrie on Tuesday said that the dispute was a long pending issue and all the political parties used this dispute as an election agenda but when election gets over, no one takes the issue seriously
“ We will meet Assam CM and make a team to solve this issue,” he said
On being asked about their formula for resolving the issue, Mawrie said that they would discuss about the formula of ‘give and take policy’ to resolve this long-pending issue.
With a BJP-led Government in Assam and a non-Congress Government in Meghalaya in which BJP is a part and parcel, the party is optimistic that the changes will be there in the approach of both the states to resolve the matter now.
The BJP is likely to meet Assam Chief Minister after March to discuss the issue.
It may be mentioned that so far only two chief minister level talks on boundary dispute were held between Assam and Meghalaya in the last 10 years and that too during the tenure of the previous government. Though the incumbent Government has been talking about holding talks with Assam CM for almost a year but no such meeting has taken place.
There are 12 areas of difference between both the states and instances of confusion and encroachment by Assam along the disputed areas have been reported from time to time.