SHILLONG, June 23: The National People’s Party (NPP) on Friday ruled out any change in the MDA 2.0 composition, thereby nipping the Congress’ hope of working together with the ruling party in the bud.
“The present dispensation arrangement in the MDA 2.0 will continue till the end of its term,” NPP stalwart and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters.
This comes two days after state Congress president Vincent H Pala’s remarks that the party would not mind working with the NPP if the BJP is removed from the MDA 2.0.
“Minus the BJP, we are ready to support the NPP,” he had said, pointing out that the Congress is working with the NPP in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).
Earlier, Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who is a former Congress leader, asked the grand old party to take a cue from the political development in the KHADC and support the MDA 2.0.
In February last year, the Congress had suspended five of its MLAs for extending support to the NPP-led previous MDA government of which the BJP was a part.
The NPP and the Congress are working together in the KHADC after toppling the Council’s previous Executive committee which was led by UDP leader Titosstarwell Chyne.
Meanwhile, the BJP ridiculed the Congress for expressing its desire to work with the MDA.
Publicity stunt, says BJP
BJP spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang said Pala made the statement to get cheap publicity.
“It is common knowledge that the Congress is a sinking ship in Meghalaya in particular and the country in general. For the Congress, it is a bitter pill to swallow that they are out of MDA 2.0,” Kharkrang said.
He said Pala made the statement to dilute the huge attention, love and respect that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is receiving at the global stage. He said the fear of the Congress about the BJP’s transparent and zero tolerance corruption policy also got reflected in the statement.
“For the Congress which is a party infamous for its saga of scams, a non-corrupt government is alien to them. The Congress’ dream of others leaving the BJP aside and forming an alliance with them is a mockery of the dynamics of coalition politics,” the BJP spokesperson said.
Asserting that the BJP is a strong and steady partner in MDA 2.0 and its presence in the coalition gives the government the might to forge ahead with people-centric policies and development as its agenda, Kharkrang said the BJP is an important component of MDA 2.0.
He said the party is keenly observing the functioning of the government and at the same time, ensuring that the dividends of various Central policies reach the beneficiaries.
