SHILLONG, Jan 22: The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) on Saturday asked its rivals to applaud the state government for ordering various inquiries into allegations of anomalies and corruption.
“Our rivals should say hats off to us for initiating inquiries into the allegations flagged or brought forward,” NPP state president and Rajya Sabha member, WR Kharlukhi said.
He was reacting to the constant attacks on the NPP by its rivals that the various charges of corruption and anomalies will affect the party’s prospects in the Assembly elections of next year.
Stating that attacking the government and passing judgment prior to the charges being substantiated is baseless, he said, “We ordered the inquiries so that we could find out the truth and take appropriate actions wherever needed.”
The NPP rivals had written off the party in the recently-held bye-elections to three seats but it managed to win two seats while one went to ally United Democratic Party. Kharlukhi said the results had belied the rivals’ predictions.
“I do believe the ultimate decision lies with the people. So let us see,” he said talking about next year’s polls.
Buckling under pressure, the government had ordered inquiries into a rice “scam”, alleged corruption in Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited, “misutilisation” of central funds in GHADC and JHADC, supply of “inferior” quality GI pipes in Jal Jeevan Mission and the alleged fake encounter killing of former HNLC leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew by the police.
