SHILLONG, Feb 28: The ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) does not want to lose any of its partners, said WR Kharlukhi, the state president of National People’s Party (NPP) which heads the coalition.
“We don’t want to lose any of our partners in the coalition. We started it together and we should end the five-year term of the present government together,” Kharlukhi told The Shillong Times on Sunday.
The statement comes as the relationship between NPP and BJP has soured on the issue of alleged corruption. The BJP had sought to iron out the differences through discussions but Kharlukhi said, “First, let them sort out differences within their party and put their house in order.”
Stating that it makes no sense for the BJP to resort to repeated allegations and accusations, he said, “Let them sit with their MLAs and other leaders and take a decision. Come with something sensible and the MDA will discuss.”
On if he feels the BJP has become aggressive keeping an eye on the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, Kharlukhi said political parties may have their own goal and strategy. “Let’s wait and see. When the results are declared, I will say whether they are right or wrong,” he said.
Armed with RTI findings over alleged misappropriation of central funds in the GHADC besides illegal mining of coal and its transportation, alleged mismanagement in the power sector, the BJP has been for some months going for the MDA’s jugular.
Efforts made to settle the differences between BJP and MDA, particularly NPP, did not yield any positive results. Their relationship strained so much that there were times when some leaders of the coalition had to ask the BJP to pull out of the government if it was not comfortable in it.