SHILLONG, Nov 19: The BJP on Friday said no matter how much the Trinamool Congress tries to make inroads into Meghalaya, it will be rejected by the people.
Stating that TMC wants to spread its wings to Tripura, Goa and Meghalaya, state BJP president, Ernest Mawrie said, “I have heard they have come here to meet people but it is not easy. I do not think the people here will ever accept the TMC because it is purely a regional party that works only in West Bengal. Let the people judge.”
On strategist Prashant Kishor’s team doing the groundwork in the state, Mawrie said, “The dynamics of politics is different in different areas. What might have worked for the TMC in West Bengal may not work in Meghalaya.”
He reiterated no matter how much research the TMC does, it will be rejected in Meghalaya.
Eye on the 2023 Meghalaya polls, Kishor’s team members are camping in Shillong, conducting a research as a part of a strategy to understand the dynamics of the state’s politics.
After the TMC’s landslide victory in Bengal, Kishor had renewed his contract with the party till the 2024 Parliamentary polls. His team members are trying to meet political leaders and some citizens in the Meghalaya capital.
‘State needs goods train service’
Mawrie batted for the introduction of goods train till Byrnihat, arguing that if the people of Mendipathar in Garo Hills can reap the economic benefits, why the people in other parts of the state should be deprived of.
Stating that the BJP had earlier adopted a resolution that only goods train should come up to Byrnihat, Mawrie said the Centre has already identified and mapped the routes and this was followed by the inauguration of Mendipathar railway station by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The people in Garo hills are reaping the economic benefits (by taking advantage of train service). The vendors go to Guwahati in the morning, sell their merchandise and return by the evening,” he said.
He also said that if Meghalaya could be connected with the railway network, it will help check the escalation of prices of essential commodities.
Mawrie described as genuine the demand of the pressure groups that the government should put in place a mechanism to check the influx of illegal immigrants before introducing railways. He left it to the wisdom of the government to create that mechanism.
On its part, the state BJP will push the demand for the implementation of the Inner Line Permit, he added.