By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 9: State BJP vice president and Tura MDC Bernard N. Marak on Monday alleged that money generated from illegal activities is being used to weaken the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Garo Hills ahead of the GHADC elections.
Marak claimed that the BJP has the will to stand against what he described as “filthy rich corrupt political leaders” who have failed to eject illegal Bangladeshi migrants from the region. He alleged that while the Garo Hills continue to face poverty, close aides of the Chief Minister are accumulating black money and destroying the lives of the poor.
According to him, large sums of unaccounted money collected from illegal coal mining, illegal coal transportation, incomplete contract works, and fake bills are being used to influence political workers. He alleged that active BJP members in the Garo Hills are being offered “lakhs and crores” to leave the party before the GHADC election.
Marak further claimed that for the past five years, the National People’s Party (NPP) divided the BJP in the Garo Hills by keeping one MDC aligned with the ruling side while another was placed in the opposition. He alleged that full benefits were allowed to one MDC while the other was deprived, leading to political and organisational strain within the BJP.
He also alleged that certain contractors, whom he described as tainted, are promising schemes that could later turn into ghost projects. He claimed that an individual, described as a JJM contractor with incomplete projects in Gambegre and other areas and previously linked to the supply of “ghost computers” to the GHADC, has been making financial offers to BJP members.
Marak alleged that unaccounted funds are being used to buy off party workers.
He claimed that BJP workers are being targeted individually and alleged that in 2022, the money in his frozen bank accounts was taken out. He stated that deprivation, alleged targeting, and financial inducements have placed many sincere but economically weak party workers in difficult positions.
Questioning the source of the alleged funds, he asked how such large amounts could have been accumulated if not from illegal coal mining and transportation. He further alleged that the NPP has emerged as the richest political party in the state.
Marak added that the alliance between the BJP and the NPP in Meghalaya remains complicated.
