BJP resurgence in Meghalaya due to Congress' failure: UDP

Meghalaya's principal opposition party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), on Monday said the BJP's resurgence in the state was mainly due to the failure of the ruling Congress party.

"If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rises in Meghalaya, it is due to the failure of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and his party (Congress)," Leader of Opposition and UDP supremo Donkupar Roy said.

"It is because of the failure of the Chief Minister and his party that their members are joining the BJP," he said and pooh-poohed Sangma's claim that UDP stitching a pre-poll alliance with the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) was a back-door alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"I am amused by the Chief Minister's views. We believe either in pre-poll alliance or post-poll alliance and there is nothing like back-door or front-door alliance," he said.

However, Roy made it clear that the UDP is not having any pre-poll alliance with the BJP for the assembly elections scheduled to be held in February-March next year.

"The Chief Minister is very desperate after the formation of UDP-HSPDP alliance. Why should Mukul Sangma blame regional parties for the rise of the BJP? It is the failure of the Congress party which gave rise to BJP both at the Centre and states," the UDP chief said.

Citing Assam's example, where many Congress leaders shifted to the BJP, Roy said: "In Meghalaya too, we are beginning to see the exodus of Congressmen to BJP. Even in my Shella assembly constituency, the Congress members are joining BJP. From Sohra too, former Congress legislator P.W. Khongjee joined BJP."

Roy reiterated it is not UDP that is encouraging the BJP but it is because of the failure of the Chief Minister and his party that their members are joining BJP.

"In national politics, the Congress failed, resulting in BJP forming the government but in Meghalaya, we hope that the regional alliance will win the 2018 polls," he said.

--IANS

rrk/pgh/vt