TURA/ SHILLONG, Feb 23: BJP candidate from South Tura, Bernard Marak has once again asserted that the move to deny permission to hold Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting in PA Sangma Stadium was intentional.
“They wanted us to hold the programme in Jengjal, about 33 km from here because they did not want the PM to see how people had been robbed near the stadium. The residents of the area have been evicted despite the fact that the government has no acquisition records. This is what they did not want the PM to see,” claimed Bernard at a press conference.
He added that the NPP was trying to divert the whole programme during a time when all public transport had been acquired for the election.
“There have been lies after lies made by the incumbent government including housing, water supply to every household, free electricity etc but these have only been on paper. On the ground these central schemes have not been implemented,” he added.
PM Modi will be in Tura to campaign for the BJP candidates from the region and as per Bernard will also speak to the people about the developmental initiatives that have been denied to them. He asserted that Modi’s speech would be about the denial of the schemes that the Centre gave but have vanished in the state. On the question of why the BJP supported the NPP in government formation, Bernard stated that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has changed and was not the same person he used to be 5 years ago.
“There was a lot of belief in him and that is why there was support from our party but he has changed. He has become self-centred and is only engaged in working for his party and his relatives while sidelining everyone else. I campaigned for him in his last election but he still went ahead and implicated me for 4 months. Now I stand against him with immense support from our central leaders,” said Bernard.
“The PM coming to Tura is an indicator that the BJP is serious about the development of the state. The PM’s presence in Tura tomorrow will have a huge impact in the run up to the election,” he added.
Bernard maintained that the prospects of the party were good in the state and the BJP would tough double digits in the election.
PM’s itinerary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend two back-to-back events in the state on Friday —a road show in the state capital followed by a public rally in Tura.
Both Shillong and Tura are being decked up ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. Incidentally, Modi is making his maiden visit to the western Meghalaya town on Friday. He had visited the Garo Hills before but not Tura.
The Prime Minister will land at the Upper Shillong helipad at 11 am from where he will go to Jhalupara point and thence to the State Central Library where he would pay floral tributes to the three freedom fighters of the state – U Tirot Sing, U Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma.
He will then proceed to Police Bazar where he will address a BJP rally. He will then fly to Tura where he will address a BJP rally at the Alotgre playground (Old Tura Stadium).
Security forces carried out an extensive mock drill on the roads of Shillong as a prelude to the PM’s road show.
The PM is expected to land in Tura at 2:45 pm. By 3 pm, he will proceed to the venue and wind up his speech by 4 pm before leaving the town.
As the roads to the site of the rally are narrow, the BJP is expecting an early turnout of people. The party is confident that the PM’s visit will brighten its poll prospects, not just in Garo Hills but across the state.
A reconnaissance operation was conducted on Thursday afternoon to ensure foolproof security arrangements. It was conducted by the PM’s security teams on vehicles (SUVs) along the stretch from Alotgre cricket stadium to Tura helipad at Dobasipara. Vehicular traffic along the 6.5 km stretch had come to a standstill for some time during the recce.
West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Singh Rathore said all arrangements have been made by the district and police administration for smooth conduct of the rally.
“Preparations, both in regard to security and traffic arrangements, have been made in accordance with the security protocols and requirements for the PM’s rally, which will be addressed between 3 pm and 4 pm,” Rathore said.
The authorities approved the rally at the cricket stadium which was recently taken over by the BCCI.
