From Saurav Borah
TURA: The vicinity around Don Bosco HS School playground here where a poll-related public rally was addressed by Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday evening was busy.
Inside the ground, despite a few vacant seats that were occupied later, the ambience was somewhat “musical if not electric” as a catchy campaign song of BJP – “It’s time for a change, It’s time for Meghalaya” – was played, attracting both young and old people to the venue.
There were applauses galore as the Union home minister addressed the rally here for the first time, promising development, accessibility to central schemes and ending corruption in Meghalaya.
Shah, while taking a dig at the Meghalaya governments of the past said, “The previous dispensations failed to establish medical colleges in Garo Hills even after completing fifty years of statehood. But if Meghalaya is led by a double engine BJP government, then I can assure you that there will be fast-paced development across sectors,” he said.
“Besides, if the BJP is voted to power, then I can also assure you that Meghalaya will be made corruption free as well. Meghalaya saw no development but only corruption under the NPP-led MDA government,” Shah said.
“BJP broke its alliance with the NPP before the elections in Meghalaya so that it can contest all the 60 Assembly seats and emerge stronger,” Shah said, as he interacted with the people, and even apologised for not being able to address the public meeting in Garo.
People from not just Tura but from faraway places assembled at the venue.
“I am from Ampati …so was late in reaching the venue. I have voted a couple of times in the past, supporting both Congress and NPP. But there has been precious little that was done. This time, I will decide ahead of voting day whom to vote,” said a 24-year-old Robert G. Sangma.
There were many youths that turned up to the venue.
On the other hand, both permanent and makeshift stalls had a busy evening.
“I have installed this makeshift stall only for the rally and the sales have been good. In the past I have voted for the candidate who is this time contesting from South Tura as I expect development from the BJP which had,” said Rania A Sangma, a voter from South Tura constituency.
Nearby, Jerimso Sangma, a shop owner was initially reluctant to open up when this correspondent approached him.
But he did respond to a query on the hot-cake sale triggered by the poll rally. “Yes, today sales have been better than other days,” he said.
BJP candidates contesting from various constituencies in Garo Hills of Meghalaya were present at the meeting.
Shah in his speech cited Assam’s example in regard to establishing medical colleges in the last five years and that the Meghalaya government had failed to establish medical colleges in Garo hills even after completing fifty years of statehood.
He also said that if Meghalaya is led by a double engine government, which includes BJP powered state government and BJP powered Central Government, then Meghalaya will be developed,
“Besides, if the BJP is voted to power, then I can assure you that Meghalaya will be made a corruption free state as well,” Shah said.
“In past decades, the central schemes didn’t reach the majority of the common people of Meghalaya, so if BJP is voted to power in the state then I can guarantee that the fruits of central schemes will reach the individual citizens,” he added.
He also said that the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), which is making losses now, would be made into a profitable and viable enterprise if the BJP comes to power in the state.