By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 7: Himalaya Muktan Shangpliang has quit the BJP but his tirade against state party president, Ernest Mawrie continues.
A day after tendering his resignation from the BJP, Shangpliang accused Mawrie of backstabbing party members by “putting himself first” in a bid to seize absolute control and for doing nothing to strengthen the party.
Justifying his claim, Shangpliang said the post of the Adviser to the Education department was offered to him by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
“I had asked Mawrie over and over again if he had forwarded our names to the CM with recommendations for some assignments and he said he will be doing so.
“I had asked him (Mawrie) to remember that four former MLAs and one retired IPS officer were sitting out without assignments but he did not bother to send one line to the CM recommending our names,” Shangpliang said.
Shangpliang disclosed that Cabinet minister and senior party leader AL Hek had recommended his name and that of retired IPS officer M Kharkrang in a DO letter that was to be addressed to the Chief Minister seeking some assignments.
“However, when Hek informed Mawrie as a matter of courtesy, the latter rushed to his office and asked Hek to tear the recommendation letter stating that Shangpliang and Kharkrang had recently joined the party. Mawrie asked Hek to recommend his name instead of the two,” Shangpliang claimed.
Accusing Mawrie of betrayal, Shangpliang recalled that Hek had to comply with the request of the party president and wrote a fresh letter recommending Mawrie’s name.
Shangpliang also recalled that a review meeting was called after the BJP failed to perform as per expectation in the Assembly elections and a lot of suggestions were made but the decisions taken were never implemented by Mawrie despite constant reminders.
Stating that things could have changed for the better had the party chief taken proactive steps, Shangpliang said, “There was no meaning for me to be in the party. We were kept idle with no assignment. Therefore, the best way forward was to leave the party because I did not have any future with the BJP.”