SHILLONG, Feb 5: The BJP wants to work in tandem with the National People’s Party (NPP) to diminish the chances of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) in the 2023 Assembly elections.
BJP Meghalaya in-charge, M Chuba Ao told The Shillong Times on Saturday that the NPP and the BJP are partners at the Centre as well as in the state and both need to sit together and work out a strategy to tackle the AITC.
He felt the AITC will be the BJP’s main rival and insisted the BJP and the NPP strengthen their coordination.
“It is too early to say anything but we are proposing. We will have to sit together with the NPP as we don’t know its opinion on the idea,” Ao said.
He said he will soon meet the NPP leadership to discuss the issue.
Asserting that the Congress’ strength has reduced and it does not even have a permanent president now, Ao said the AITC is trying to be the new alternative in the state.
He said while it may do well in pockets, it will not be accepted by majority of the people.
The AITC had a dramatic entry into Meghalaya through a “political coup” last year. Twelve Congress MLAs had merged themselves with the AITC, making it the state’s principal opposition party overnight.
