SHILLONG, April 12: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday alleged the National People’s Party (NPP), which heads the state’s ruling coalition, used money power at the last moment in a bid to win the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
“It was for the first time in the history of GHADC elections that the NPP spent more money than in the Assembly elections. I don’t know the logic behind it,” state BJP president, Ernest Mawrie, said.
The BJP as well as other political parties believed they had performed well in the Council polls.
Mawrie said the saffron party was expecting to win many seats but the polls were not fought in the principle of fairness.
NPP state chief, WR Kharlukhi, said the party is expecting to win around 15-20 seats. In the lead up to the polls, the BJP had made a series of scathing attacks on the NPP, which rules GHADC, over various issues.
The United Democratic Party (UDP), which contested the polls for the first time with great intensity, was equally confident. UDP general secretary, Jemino Mawthoh, claimed that the party had received an overwhelming support from the voters.
“We are surely making inroads into the Garo Hills. Our acceptability is there for everyone to see,” Mawthoh asserted.
The UDP top brass had led the poll campaign. Leaders of the Congress, who had a low-key campaign, were not available for comments.
