SHILLONG, Oct 18: The BJP’s arrested state vice president Bernard N Marak, who is currently in judicial custody, will contest next year’s Assembly elections, party leader AL Hek said on Tuesday.
He said the BJP’s poll prospects in North Tura and South Tura seats are bright. Marak is the sitting GHADC member from South Tura.
Stating that he visited Marak’s house recently and held meetings in the constituency, Hek said the BJP has not yet declared the name of its candidate for the South Tura seat.
There are talks everywhere about the misuse of power by the state government and it is evident a change is imminent, Hek said, referring to various charges of corruption and irregularities against the government. “I raised the issue of MTC construction where they made an exorbitant estimate for 1 acre of land and I will continue to do so,” the BJP legislator said.
“When we are a part of the government, we will also be blamed but the BJP does not have much role in the government,” he said to a query, adding, “The departments held by the BJP are not major ones. Those who are holding important departments, they play an important role and have a major responsibility.”
The BJP shares a love-hate relationship with the NPP.
Their relationship soured to such extent that the NPP had asked the BJP to leave the coalition, if unhappy and the BJP threatened to pull out.
A reason why the relationship strained is the BJP’s continuous attack of the government and its demand for investigations into various charges of corruption and misutilisation of funds.
Hek will be up against his nephew Rocky Hek in the elections in the Pynthorumkhrah seat. Asked about it, he said this is politics and he has to fight not just against the NPP candidate but also the candidates of the United Democratic Party, Congress and other parties.
He also said that every election was tough for him. He said contesting an election is a tough task and he will try his best to get elected from the seat for the sixth straight term.
