SHILLONG, Feb 11: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the opposition parties should ask how the National People’s Party-led government managed to bring at least Rs 38,000 crore for development projects since it took charge of Meghalaya in 2018.
“Why do the opposition parties not question how we brought these funds? I think they should ask where the NPP leaders looted the money from,” he said at an election rally at Umthli to seek votes for his nephew and party candidate Rahboklang Tynsong on Monday night.
His nephew is contesting the Lyngkyrdem-Laitkroh constituency of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council.
The Deputy CM said the state government managed to pump in funds for development projects and schemes from various departments and agencies.
Taking an indirect dig at the Voice of the People Party, he said the top agenda of the “new party” is criticising him, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, and NPP legislator Gavin Miguel Mylliem.
“I have no problem with allegations but they should also allege how the NPP, Conrad Sangma, and Prestone Tynsong manage to loot money to beautify the state,” Tynsong, also the NPP state president said.
He said he was with Congress from 2003 to December 2017 before joining the NPP.
“There is a feeling of insecurity and jealousy among the opposition parties due to the ability of the NPP to bring development to the state. I feel joining the NPP was a blessing for me,” He said while adding that the party will grow if people continue to criticise them.
Tynsong asserted that the NPP has no infighting like Congress since everyone in the party is treated with love and respect and all members of the party are like family members. “There is also no tussle in the NPP for a Cabinet berth or a party ticket,” he claimed.
He further claimed that the decision to allot a ticket to his nephew from Lyngkyrdem-Laitkroh was based on the recommendations from the party unit at the lowest level.
“My nephew has not got the party ticket due to recommendations from the top party leadership,” Tynsong said.
The Deputy CM, however, observed that a section of the party cancelled the ticket of the candidate declared in the first list and then decided to allot tickets to other aspirants. “Snatching away the party ticket in such a manner has never happened in state politics,” he said.
He also observed that the mushrooming of regional parties will further divide the people of the region.
Pointing out that the newly floated party (VPP) won four seats in the last Assembly elections, Tynsong said they would have got the numbers to form the government if they had worked together with the other regional parties — UDP and HSPDP.
