SHILLONG, Jan 25: A dissident group in the BJP is not keen on cooperating with the party leadership ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to the two parliamentary constituencies in Meghalaya.
Members of this group said they are not happy with the style and functioning of state BJP president Rikman Momin, who is allegedly controlling the party along with two or three top leaders.
“If such a situation prevails, many party workers may not cooperate with the leadership during the elections,” a leader of the dissident group said on Thursday.
The group said Fenela L Nonglait, an advocate seeking a party ticket, has been vocal about contesting the upcoming election on a BJP ticket and that the party has promised the implementation of the ILP and the inclusion of the Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
“These are central subjects and only the central government can take a call on this,” one of the dissidents said, adding that former state chief Ernest Mawrie deserves to be the party candidate for the Shillong seat.
BJP spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang said the reports on dissidence are being spread by some disgruntled members who do not want the party to grow.
“Every organisation has self-interest groups who keep self-interest above the development of the state,” he said, adding that the party’s central leadership is happy with the way Momin is handling the state unit.
“Our central leadership is yet to take a call on ticket allotment,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJP vice-president and Tura MDC Bernard N Marak submitted his application to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The application was submitted to Momin in the presence of other party leaders.
BJP is keen on contesting the Lok Sabha elections independently in Meghalaya. Marak said he has been touring the C&RD blocks in the Garo Hills for the past few months to monitor the implementation of the central schemes.
