SHILLONG, Jan 6: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma pilloried the BJP for its claim that no party can form the next government in the state without its support.
Sangma said the BJP’s claim is “quite offending” to the electorates and condemned it.
“What are they trying to say? Does it mean they are trying to buy the MLAs?” he asked.
Alleging that the BJP is trying to engage in corruption, he said the party’s statement is a reflection of its intention and mind and an indication that it is trying to supersede even before the mandate which is the basic tenets of democracy.
“I think the people of the state should give them a befitting reply,” Sangma said.
When reminded that the BJP was instrumental in the formation of the MDA government after the 2018 Assembly elections even after the Congress had emerged as the single largest party, he said people of the state are witnessing what is happening now.
“We see more a remote-controlled government. The people and the state are paying the price of it. That is why, the people do not want this repetition,” the TMC leader claimed.
On the BJP’s claim that it will be the dark horse in the polls, Sangma said every political party will have its own expectations, dreams and aspirations.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong in it,” he added.
Asked how the party will fight against money power, he said Meghalaya has demonstrated its capability of dealing with this kind of a situation.
“I have seen similar attempts and blatant display of money and muscle power, particularly in the last GHADC elections. You must have seen the outcome. Those, who tried to exploit the innocence and simplicity of our people, were defeated,” Sangma said.
He said people will act wisely even this time around in the larger interest of the state. According to him, they have moved across the length and breadth of the state and they know it all.
Asked as to why some MLAs of other parties then joined the National People’s Party despite allegations of corruption and misgovernance against it, Sangma said they are the right people to answer this.
“But the important issue is the alleged irregularities and corruption across sectors. The result and fallout of it are the lack of opportunities and unemployment,” he said.
Sangma reminded everyone of Meghalaya’s tradition of throwing a fractured mandate in every election except for the very first time in 1972.
“It is time for everyone to realise that in a democracy, it is always necessary for the people to understand the positive and the negative impacts of fractured electoral mandate,” he said and expressed optimism people will think for a secured future of the state.
“We will be reaching out to people to take into consideration the larger interest of the state and based on it, they should decide the mandate,” he said, adding, “We will try to navigate our conversations, discussions and the narratives thereof to achieve our objective.”
