SHILLONG: The People’s Democratic Front (PDF) has warned of withdrawing support to the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government if the BJP interferes with the core issues and principles of the party.
The PDF has extended support to the new Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) coalition led by the National People’s Party (NPP) of which BJP, with two MLAs, is also a part.
The warning was palpable in the speech of Pynshngain N Syiem, chairman of the PDF, which was delivered during a programme to felicitate the electoral success of the party’s 4 MLAs.
The PDF has Banteidor Lyngdoh Mawphlang and Hamletson Dohling as ministers in the new government.
In a bid to dispel the oft-repeated criticism that the PDF is a mask of the BJP, Syiem said: “The party has won 4 seats and we have decided that we will extend support to the NPP but not the BJP.”
“And if the BJP interferes with the PDF’s core agenda related to safeguarding the rights of the indigenous people for which the party has been fighting all along, we are ready to withdraw support to the MDA government,” he threatened.
Syiem added the party will set up a monitoring cell to follow up and find out the BJP’s alleged involvement in anti-Christian activities in many parts of the state.
Echoing Syiem, urban affairs minister Hamletson Dohling said the party would not allow the BJP to interfere with the PDF.
Syiem has urged PDF members to work for the party and gear up for the Council elections in 2019.
