SHILLONG, Feb 9: Acceptability and expansion tops the BJP agenda in Meghalaya as the saffron party is determined to put all its manpower and resources to good use in Meghalaya to emerge victorious at the hustings.
The party, whose best performance ever in the state was in the 1998 elections (winning three seats), managed to win only two in 2018 despite putting up 47 candidates.
This time the BJP has fielded candidates in all 60 seats in its bid to come to power in Meghalaya.
Sources from Delhi said the BJP’s central leadership will take no chance this time and direct its manpower and resources to Meghalaya to improve its tally here.
Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, the party’s who’s who will descend in the state in full flow. The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a rally in Tura on February 18 and hold a foot march in the capital city on February 24 to garner support for the BJP.
The PM will be accompanied by Home Minister Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari and JP Nadda, among others, during the campaigning.
Some central leaders are already campaigning in Shillong and other parts of the state seeking opinion and feedback from different sections of the population, sources said.
The party is confident of a good show with some prominent names like HM Shangpliang, Ferlin CA Sangma and Benedic R Marak joining the BJP last month.
Whether the saffron party finally succeeds in establishing itself as a force to reckon with or will it fail to hit the mark will only be known when voters line up to press the EVM button on February 27.
