TURA, Dec 4: The already sour relations between the BJP and its major coalition partner – the NPP – took another downward spiral after the party lashed out at the comments of the latter’s state president WR Kharlukhi, threatening the party with dire consequences in the coming months and terming the NPP as a B team of the BJP.
Kharlukhi had, earlier, called the BJP a ‘toothless tiger’, a comment that has not gone down too well with the BJP leadership.
BJP vice president Bernard Marak cautioned Kharlukhi and others in the NPP from making provocative statements.
Bernard asserted that the NPP should acknowledge that it came to power in 2018 as a B team of the BJP. He reminded that in 2013, the NPP only had two MLAs and it was the BJP central leaders who bestowed their support following which they have grown and are in power today.
“Testing BJP’s patience is not healthy as fortune reversal is the last thing the NPP would want. The state and its political developments are continuously monitored by our central team and only time will tell how 2023 will shape up. Government formation is unpredictable and those in the early class of power may be in for a rude shock,” warned Bernard.
Bernard stated that he was merely endorsing the statement of M Chuba Ao, the in-charge of BJP Meghalaya about there being a possibility of probes by central agencies on the financial irregularities in various departments and the amassing of unimaginable wealth by some political leaders under disproportionate assets by the Enforcement Directorate.
“People should understand that the BJP is the only party with a political will to root out corruption from Meghalaya. If Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh can witness an unprecedented turn of events, Meghalaya should not take things for granted,” he asserted.
Bernard stressed that the reason for underdevelopment in the state cannot be due to its ambitions outside the state with allegations of money for development being used in elections in other states by the NPP.
“The state’s image is hit hard by financial irregularities unearthed on and off and beneficiaries are deprived of socio-economic developments as things are diverted elsewhere. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is accountable for the governance of the state. Suppressing genuine allegations will not help as issues that concern the state and its people is something that the BJP will not remain silent and if required the so-called ‘toothless tiger’ can still demonstrate its hunting skills,” he threatened.
He further alleged that the Conrad Sangma-led government refused to furnish information in electronic format of details sought through RTIs in fear of revealing more scams and misuse of funds at various departments.
“The schemes that the NPP is projecting as theirs, including the Minority Schemes, PMGSY, KISAN, Labour, FOCUS, YESS, FOCUS+ etc are all funded by BJP and not by them,” he stated.
