Party’s state executive committee meet to be stormy
SHILLONG: The demand for change of state party leadership and the delay in taking action against those involved in the alleged cash transaction for tickets in 2018, will be raised in the state executive meeting of the BJP on Saturday.
Though the agenda is limited to matter related to enrolment drive and strengthening of the party, the BJP insiders said with the dismal performance of the party under the leadership of Shibun Lyngdoh, there is a need to elect a new party president.
The state executive committee meeting will be chaired by central BJP leader in-charge Meghalaya, Nalin Kohli.
The North East Zonal Secretary of the BJP, Ajay Jamwal will also be present.
Party sources added that in the last 2018 Assembly polls, the party could secure only two seats despite fielding several candidates.
Two independent legislators, Robinus Syngkon and Justine Dkhar, who had joined the BJP and contested the polls, were also defeated.
Later, the BJP did not contest the KHADC and JHADC polls.
Though the party candidates contested the Lok Sabha polls in both Shillong and Tura, there was no impact as the Congress candidate Vincent Pala emerged victorious in Shillong and NPP’s Agatha Sangma in Tura.
According to sources, the last state executive committee meeting was held in September last year though the executive committee meeting was to be held every three months as per the constitution of the party.
The BJP leadership is yet to come clear on the allegation of cash transaction for seat in 2018 Assembly polls raised by a BJP member during the last executive committee meeting when Kohli was present.
As reported by this daily, a BJP candidate for the 2018 Assembly polls had levelled the allegation during the executive committee meeting held at the party office on September 15, 2018 to assess the poll results.
The allegation of the candidate, who unsuccessfully contested the polls, was that certain party leaders took a few lakhs of rupees from him.
Around 50 members were present when the candidate accused the state party leadership.
It was during the second half of the executive committee meeting that the candidate repeated twice that a few persons sitting on the dais took certain amount of money from him and it was paid in Pinewood Hotel.
While Kohli chaired the meeting, others who were on the dais included BJP leader and Cabinet Minister AL Hek, state party president Shibun, general secretary Banshailang Khongwir, other BJP functionaries David Kharsati, Earnest Mawrie and Sumita Banerjee.
Some BJP leaders who want transparency and accountability in the party are of the view that the central leadership of the party should view the matter seriously and take appropriate action.
