Give BJP chance to serve Meghalaya, Modi tells voters

Exhorting the 18.43 lakh electorate in Meghalaya to vote for the BJP in the February 27 Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Congress-led state government was not taking people seriously since they saw no political challenge.

"The enthusiasm and support of the people of Meghalaya towards the BJP is overwhelming. I urge the people of Meghalaya to give us a chance to serve the state. We will ensure good governance, guided by the philosophy of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'," he said at an election rally in the Garo Hills here.

The Garo Hills region in western Meghalaya with 24 Assembly segments was once considered the "heartland" of the then Lok Sabha Speaker, late Purno A. Sangma, also founding member of the National People's Party (NPP), one of the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, Manipur and Rajasthan.

"Meghalaya needs double engine for growth. A BJP-led government at the Centre and a BJP government in the state," Modi said.

Modi, on the second leg of his election campaign in the Christian-majority state, said the election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly is about freeing the state from the scams of the Congress government.

Launching an attack on Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for his alleged failure to ensure all-round development of Meghalaya, Modi asked: "Why is his government not discussing development? Why are they not telling the people about their developmental works? They are only busy in blaming Modi."

"The Chief Minister (Mukul Sangma) is a doctor, but look at the condition of health infrastructure in the state. It is in ruins. Women are forced to deliver babies at home, which poses a great threat to the lives of both the mother and the newborn," he said.

The Prime Minister accused the Meghalaya government of not utilising central funds allocated to the state for building houses for the poor.

He said the central government had provided around Rs 470 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for construction of 1100-km roads in the state. However, he claimed, the Meghalaya government was unable to spend 50 per cent of the amount.

"We plan to spend around Rs 180 crore for building a new Shillong airport to improve prospects of industrial development in Meghalaya, besides generation of employment," Modi said.

Unlike in Nagaland, where the BJP has stitched together an alliance with the newly floated Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, the BJP is fighting 47 seats in Meghalaya all alone.

--IANS

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