SHILLONG: The relationship between two coalition partners in Meghalaya — BJP and NPP — appears to have soured over corruption charges and mis-utilisation of central funds levelled by the saffron party against the NPP-ruled district councils in the state.
Reacting to the serious allegations, NPP State President, WR Kharlukhi on Thursday said “anybody can make allegations but such allegations have to be substantiated by proofs”.
He was of the view that such statements would not help either the BJP, NPP or the MDA and asked State BJP president, Ernest Mawrie not to do kite flying and make irresponsible utterances as a leader of the national party.
The statement came as NPP’s first reaction to the BJP state president’s demand for CBI probe into misappropriation of central funds by NPP-led JHADC and GHADC.
Referring to BJP’s threat to move out of the MDA “if corruption is not stopped”, Kharlukhi said, “People have to be responsible as party presidents and they have to make responsible statements.”
He countered the threat stating that Mawrie would have to step down as the BJP party president if the saffron party eventually does not withdraw the support from the government.
“We have the MDA Coordination committee and it should have been discussed in the alliance, unless you want to score brownie points,” he said.
Asking the BJP president to make public statements with circumspection, he however believed that Mawrie spoke about withdrawing the support only when media persons asked him and that too, the party president said they “may” withdraw the support.
“I don’t think the BJP president is serious about his statement,” he added.
It may be recalled that Mawrie had alleged that the district councils had either diverted or misappropriated Centre’s Special Assistance Grants amounting to Rs 267.40 crore.
