Post Meghalaya defeat, BJP recommends 'non-Cong' govt

Following its defeat in the State Assembly polls here, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday suggested that the National People's Party (NPP) and United Democratic Party (UDP) should enter into an alliance to form a "non-Congress government" in the state.

"We want the NPP to talk to other political parties to form a non-Congress government in Meghalaya, especially the UDP, as there will be a clear majority, thereby barring the Congress Party from forming the government, as the verdict is against them and the incumbent state Chief Minister Mukul Sangma," Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chairman of North East Democratic Alliance, a coalition of BJP and northeast regional parties and Assam Finance Minister said at a press conference here.

Furthermore, the BJP leader from Assam stated that his party would support this alliance, but would not take initiative for the same.

"We want the NPP to officially hold talks with the UDP and other regional parties to form the government. Unofficially, I am in touch with the regional parties and have encouraged them to form a non-Congress government. If the NPP takes the first step, the BJP will extend full cooperation when necessary. The BJP will play the role of a facilitator, but will not be directly involved, since we don't have the numbers," he said.

Sarma further said the Congress party must not indulge in horse trading and should meet the governor to form the party only if they have the necessary numbers for it.

"I'm not a senior leader; I'm just a son of the soil. But the ones who've come here from the Congress are very big leaders. My humble request to them is to not indulge in horse trading. Go meet the governor only if you have the numbers," he said.

Talking about the party's performance in Meghalaya, Sarma argued that although the BJP could have done better, it was a "very tough corner" to contest elections.

"In the state, the NPP and Congress have a better hold. We have acted very maturely to contest in the state, although we were contesting from a very tough corner. However, I feel that we could have done better," said Sarma.

In the results announced for the state assembly polls earlier in the day, the Congress party retained its hold on Meghalaya by winning 21 seats, while the NPP won 19 seats, implying that even though the Congress party won, it still may not form the government.

Meanwhile, Sangma won from both Ampati and Songsak constituencies in the Assembly elections.