‘Assembly in grip of big contractors’

SHILLONG, Feb 18: The BJP’s Nongthymmai candidate, David Kharsati on Saturday said the Meghalaya Assembly has become a House of big contractors and businessmen.
Recalling the statehood movement leaders who legislated laws to protect the people, he said the scenario started changing in 2003.
“I feel ashamed that it is not a House of legislators anymore but a House of big contractors and businessmen and during elections, they buy votes,” he said.
Earlier, Kharsati said Meghalaya is in deep trouble because successive governments did not fulfil even 10% of the promises the political parties at the helm made in their election manifestos. These parties indulged in corrupt practices instead, he added.
He said the NPP-led government claimed to have spent Rs 800 crore on COVID activities but former DHS and UDP’s North Shillong candidate, Aman Warr said he had knowledge of only Rs 248 crore.  Warr was responsible for utilising the COVID funds.
“Where has more than Rs 500 crore gone? If this is not corruption, what is?” Kharsati asked.
He claimed the Khasis and non-tribal people in North Shillong have been expressing their support for BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He played down the challenge posed by his rivals.
“Some people accept Charles Pyngrope but not his party, the Trinamool Congress,” Kharsati said, insisting Pyngrope’s switchover from Congress would help the BJP.
The UDP, he felt, would fail to make a mark as the “people want a party ruling at the Centre to rule in Meghalaya”.