SHILLONG, March 5: Close on the heels of polls in Meghalaya, two principal national parties — BJP and Congress — are contemplating “corrective steps” in order to revamp the organisations.
Both the BJP and the Congress stand on different platforms in the region vis-à-vis their histories and future roadmaps.
The Congress, which had a golden past, is now struggling for its very existence while the saffron outfit is still faced with the same challenge — acceptability in Meghalaya.
For BJP, its performance in Meghalaya has forced it to go back to the drawing board. There is a dawning realisation now that BJP State president Ernest Mawrie should have been replaced long back.
“Mawrie is more famous for displaying ‘immaturity’ and making unnecessary remarks in the media than working at the organisational level. Even after the debacle, as BJP could win only two seats out of 60 it contested, Mawrie is blaming the high command for ‘interference’,” a BJP central leader told IANS on condition of anonymity.
“Mawrie does not know how the BJP functions. He is behaving like a regional party leader and at best as a Congressman. He enjoys making statements against senior colleagues and to remain in headlines,” the party leader said.
Sources said the BJP’s central leadership had their choice of candidates in only three constituencies, one of them being former IPS officer Mariahom Kharkrang from North Shillong. For the remaining 57 seats, the state unit was given a free hand. This school of thought suggests that Mawrie himself lost and so he should resign on moral ground.
Similar stories are emerging from the Congress camp. The Congress high command may soon take a final call on the ‘tenure’ of state unit president Vincent H Pala who lost the Assembly election in his bastion of Sutnga Saipung to NPP candidate Santa Mary Shylla.
“At times in such cases the Pradesh Congress chiefs resign. There is no hard and fast rule. Decisions are taken ultimately at political levels in various stages,” a Congress source told IANS.
While the BJP and Congress could manage wins in only two and five seats, respectively, the NPP won 26 seats. Significantly, regional parties like UDP and VPP also came out with flying colours. The UDP won 11 and VPP four. Two other regional parties — HSPDP and PDF — picked up two seats each.
This means tough battles are on the cards for both the BJP and the Congress in Meghalaya. (IANS)
