SHILLONG, Nov 24: The State BJP’s quest for evolving a strategy to tackle the thorny corruption issue and sorting out irritants with NPP remained inconclusive after the first round of meeting with the Meghalaya in-charge M Chuba Ao here today.
Sources said Ao emphasised the need to ensure that the party does not make any unsubstantiated allegation, while making it clear that only the central leaders had the prerogative to decide on pulling out of the multi-party coalition.
The BJP Meghalaya in-charge made the observation during his meeting with the party’s core committee here on Tuesday evening which was attended by top leaders of the party including the two BJP MLAs, officer-bearers and other members of the core committee.
Though BJP leaders were tight lipped on what transpired in the meeting, sources informed that Chuba Ao was very specific on his stand that there should be no allegation without evidence. Apparently, he tried to bring a sobering effect on the party leaders over the hotly discussed corruption at various levels.
Sources also said that during the meeting, South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai raised the issue of change in Cabinet berth claiming that there was an agreement in this regard between the two legislators when the MDA Government was formed in 2018.
Sources also said that nothing was initiated from the party side about effecting a change in the Cabinet berth since Ernest Mawrie was elected as the president this year itself whereas the agreement was signed two years before.
“Even Conrad Sangma is not responding to the request and they are not giving Ernest Mawrie a platform to discuss about it,” sources added
Sources also said that though all issues at stake were not covered in the meeting today, discussions may continue on Wednesday revolving around the issue of corruption. At today’s meeting, some of the members highlighted the different instances of corruption which have taken place in the state.
It was also discussed that if the party has to withdraw from the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, it would be done at the discretion of the central BJP leaders.
The closed door meeting which lasted for two hours was also attended by Hek and Shullai besides the other core committee members.
BJP state president, Ernest Mawrie refused to disclose the details of the meeting but added that the meeting discussed several issues including the strengthening of the party in the state.
During the meeting, the new Meghalaya BJP in-charge, encouraged the party workers to work hard and strengthen the organisation.
Chuba Ao, who is also the BJP national vice president, will also attend a meeting of the state officer-bearers and different morchas on Wednesday.
Mawrie, meanwhile, also expressed confidence that whatever issues are there will be resolved and both the MLAs had also attended the meeting of the core committee. “We have discussed the matters throughout and we are optimistic that everything will be resolved,” Mawrie said.
When asked if the party and two MLAs are not on same page, he said that both the MLAs have given their own statement and it is not that they are against the party’s decision. “The statements made by them are their personal views,” Mawrie said while reiterating that the party was very much united and all the decisions and issues were taken up along the with the party leaders.
When asked why he was opposed to the move of the state government to introduce Central Bonded Warehouse, Mawrie said that the governments in UP and Rajasthan had abolished the Central Bonded Warehouse which leads to the mafia system of functioning and this was the reason why BJP in different states where it is ruling wanted to abolish it. “But unfortunately the state government here wants to implement this idea,” he added.
The BJP state chief has also made it clear that any decision to come out of the MDA will be taken by the central leaders as the MDA Government came into power when all the central leaders of the party took the initiative to form the government.