SHILLONG, Feb 8: The state BJP leadership is unhappy with the decision of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to accept the support of the five Congress MLAs without consulting the coalition partners.
Sangma is also the leader of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance, of which BJP is a minor constituent.
State BJP president Ernest Mawrie said he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister as he awaits the reaction of the BJP’s central leadership to the political development in Meghalaya.
“I saw on social media the support given by five Congress MLAs to the government. It is the initiative of our Chief Minister. This has obviously come as a surprise as it has not been discussed with the BJP which is also a part of the coalition,” he said on Tuesday.
He said he has apprised the BJP’s central leadership of the development.
“We are a part of the government. The Chief Minister should at least have called the party president or MLAs to discuss. I don’t know if our MLAs are aware or not but we should have been taken into consideration,” Mawrie said.
He likened the development to a tiger and a deer drinking water together from the same river. “It should not have happened. They (Congress) are the main opponents, at the Centre of in the state,” he said.
Asked if the BJP will pull out from the National People’s Party-led MDA coalition, Mawrie said: “I have apprised the central leaders and will discuss with all the party functionaries. I will make an official comment after the discussions.”
“It is a sensitive issue and we came to know today only. It is too early to comment on pulling out. We will follow the suggestion from our central leaders,” he added.
BJP legislator AL Hek, on the other hand, said the Congress move underlined the acceptability of the BJP. “People did not want to work with the BJP earlier, but they are now with the MDA government of which the BJP is a part,” he said.
Asked if the BJP and Congress can work together, he said: “Why not? We can work for the betterment of society and the people.”
Sangma has downplayed speculations that the interest of the other coalition partners would be compromised. He insisted that the NPP was committed to its allies.
“Side-lining of the coalition partners would never happen,” he told reporters after the five Congress MLAs formally joined the MDA.
Stating that there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics, he said, “We see people’s interest and when our interests align, we are happy to work with them.”
Replying to another question, the Chief Minister said the NPP has not taken any decision on a pre-poll alliance with its coalition partners. “NPP believes in fighting elections on its own but respects its partners,” he added.