Shillong, Nov 27: State BJP is in serious internal turmoil after two of its legislators threw their weight behind the NPP-led coalition in complete disregard of the stand of the party on alleged corruption at different levels. The party functionaries were fuming over the manner the two MLAs — AL Hek and Sanbor Shullai — jettisoned the organisation to protect their personal interests.
BJP sources accused Cabinet Minister, AL Hek for allegedly hijacking the whole matter when BJP Meghalaya in-charge, M Chuba Ao visited Shillong early this week.
As per sources, there are many things happening in the party right now and party workers are aghast over the alleged hijacking of the situation by Hek by taking Ao directly to Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma without even informing the president of the party.
It may be mentioned that Hek along with Ao met Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma on Wednesday and held detailed discussions on the ongoing events in the state.
“Unfortunately, our minister is trying to cover up the issue of corruption and this move has not gone well with the party workers and for some reason, our minister hijacked the whole issue and tried to hush up the matter only for saving his chair,” a party official said.
It was also informed that during the visit of Ao, the discussions in the party initially focused on the strengthening of the organisation but the real picture about corruption was given to Chuba Ao by the party workers only in the evening after the press briefing .
Claiming that the party workers have decided to stand with their president, sources also claimed that there are possibilities that entire team of BJP under the leadership of Ernest Mawrie may resign from the party.
“Two of our MLAs did not follow the ideology of the party and while Sanbor Shullai was shouting for cabinet berth, our other MLA AL Hek wants to be in the good book of the Conrad Sangma to protect his chair,” sources said while adding that the now the Centre would either have to listen to Ernest Mawrie or AL Hek on the matter.
Pointing out that the Meghalaya BJP in-charge would visit Meghalaya again very shortly and he would even have discussions with the stakeholders in the GHADC, sources also said that another top leader of the party is set to visit Meghalaya shortly.
Sources also said that Hek may not be allowed to come to Garo Hills during the visit of the party in-charge to Garo Hills as he supported Conrad Sangma and hijacked the entire issue for which the party workers had worked so hard.
Reiterating that the party is not going to compromise on the issues which it has raised, sources made it clear that they are going to continue what it has been doing all this while and it would not let up the hard work done by their party workers.
Regarding the move of approaching Lokayukta, MHA, and even to the judiciary, sources said that everything was on track and henceforth the party would talk less but work more.
Although the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance has saved the coalition by dousing the simmering fire over the issues of corruption, the BJP leaders here seem to be in no mood to back off from their stand for a probe into all the alleged corruption in GHADC.