SHILLONG: In an apparent fissure in the BJP camp, some members of the party have accused the state president Ernest Mawrie of sidelining the party MLAs — AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai — as well as other senior BJP leaders on crucial decisions, asserting that he did not consult the party members before going public with affairs of the Autonomous District Councils of Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills.
Party sources said on Tuesday, a letter was issued to Mawrie questioning him as to which was the day that he met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and why the two MLAs had not accompanied him in the discussion with the CM.
The party members said, “In a democratic system, will it be correct to take a decision just because you are the president and not bother at all to consult our two legislators? Without consulting the senior party leaders, how can you say that we may pull out from the government?” the members tersely questioned.
The party members have also questioned the president for filing an FIR with the CBI without proper discussion and asked if the two MLAs, senior party leaders were privy to such information. The further said, “If yes, then why don’t you pull out from the MDA government before filing the FIR or is this a joke?”
These aggrieved party members felt that the statement of the president against the chief minister was tantamount to character assassination of the CM’s family. They urged the state party president to desist from giving statements and instead take everyone into confidence.
It may be mentioned that the BJP president has taken interest in the alleged misappropriation of Central government funds in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC). An FIR with the CBI was also filed by the party in connection with the corruption.
It may be recalled that in his first public response to the controversy, BJP’s lone cabinet minister AL Hek had recently announced his decision to impress upon the state government to carry out a proper inquiry on the alleged misappropriation of the central funds in the two Autonomous District Councils
Hek had further said that he would raise the issue raised by the party. “These are serious allegations which need to be properly investigated,” Hek told reporters.
) Asserting that he would write to Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma to look into this matter since the party has come out with facts and figures while levying allegations of corruption, Hek said, “We cannot just remain mum on this issue. It is the duty of the government to find out if there is any truth on the allegations made by the State BJP”.
The BJP leaders also criticised that corruption in the party has also surfaced following the allegations made by one of BJP’s candidates, Michael Kharsyntiew during the state executive general body meeting that some of the office bearers have taken money from him in order to get party ticket.
The party members said that BJP state in charge, Nalin Kohli was also present and recalled that Mawrie was a state vice president at that time.
“If you think that Michael Kharsyntiew’s statement was wrong, then what action have you taken against him? Please come out openly on this issue also,” they said.
The concerned party members have requested him to come out openly on the various issues and clarify the doubts for the interest of the party.