SHILLONG: There was complete lull on the BJP front a day after two of its party MLAs — AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai — virtually disowned the state party functionaries’ strident attack on the NPP-led coalition over allegations of corruption in high places.
Neither the party president Ernest Mawrie nor its vice president Bernard Marak came out with any statement on Tuesday. They also did not respond to phone calls after the NPP’s counter-onslaught on their charges.
Whether it is a strategic silence or the wind has been taken away from their sail was not clear.
Meanwhile, former minister and senior member of the BJP, JA Lyngdoh has issued an appeal to the state BJP president Ernest Mawrie to take up “important issues” facing the state rather than indulge in mudslinging on the government.
In a letter to Mawrie, Lyngdoh reminded that he (Mawrie) had assured to take up the issue of boundary dispute with the Centre when he took over as president of the party.
He urged Mawrie to initiate the discussion with the Centre and also to take along the two party MLAs to Delhi.
He also appealed to Mawrie to speak about Inner Line Permit (ILP) and pointed out that the leaders of the party had assured the people of the state that issues concerning the community should be a priority.
Lyngdoh has also advised Mawrie to stop his demand to bring the railway connectivity till Shillong but it should be till Byrnihat as surveyed previously and asserted that Mawrie should discuss about goods train and not passenger train.
He also disputed the claim that the BJP was the one behind Conrad Sangma’s rise as the Chief Minister. Sangma’s name was proposed during a NPP and UDP meeting at late Donkupar Roy’s residence, he recalled.
He added that the members from central BJP leadership were present in Imphal to support Sangma in the Tura bye-election and ensure stability of the present coalition government.