SHILLONG, July 11: BJP National Vice-President and Meghalaya-in-charge, M. Chuba Ao has made it clear only the central leadership in New Delhi will take a call on whether or not Health Minister AL Hek is eligible for the post of state BJP president.
But anyone in the party is allowed to have an opinion, he said.
“He (Ernest Mawrie) has given his personal opinion but only Delhi will decide if required,” Ao said on the demand within for Hek to take over from Mawrie.
The state BJP is said to be divided into two camps – one wants Mawrie to continue and the other favours Hek as his replacement. The anti-Mawrie group allegedly seeks his ouster for raising his voice against alleged corruption in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government and demanding probe.
Earlier, Mawrie had referred to a television interview where Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said he had asked the BJP central leadership for removing him.
Mawrie said the BJP follows the one person one post policy. As such, it would not be possible for a minister (Hek) to be the party president simultaneously.
He also said the BJP leadership would take disciplinary action against the dissident group for washing its dirty linen in public. The “warning” seems to have had little effect.
Hek had said he would accept the post of state BJP president if offered by the party’s central leadership.
Party insiders said the onus is now on Ao to settle the issue in consultation with the BJP’s central leadership.