Meghalaya: NPP-BJP Ties Split Wide Open?

Conrad Sangma-led NPP is now upset with ally BJP.

Seems like the alliance between the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Meghalaya is falling apart as apprehensions reach a boiling point.

At a time when the Lok Sabha poll defeat in Tura continues to haunt the NPP, fresh friction between the alliance partners has been fuelled by the circulation of a video purportedly showing Meghalaya BJP vice president and Tura MDC Bernard Marak claiming that the Congress won the Tura Lok Sabha seat because of the BJP’s support this year.

Marak’s statement has upset the Conrad Sangma-led NPP, which is now voicing strong discontent.

Speaking to Northeast Live, NPP leader and Minister Rakkam Sangma expressed his party’s shock and frustration, stating, “We did not expect this. We thought the BJP was our ally in this, but now the truth has emerged. Bernard Marak’s comments reveal something we never expected. It may well be unprecedented in the political history of Meghalaya that the BJP helped Congress to win the Tura seat.”

Sangma also criticized the BJP’s role in the defeat and said that the party never expected to lose the Tura seat and that the reason behind the defeat is out in the open only now.

“The NPP never expected to lose the Tura Lok seat in the 18th Lok Sabha elections. There were approximately 60,000-70,000 BJP votes from Garo Hills, which went to Congress candidate Saleng Sangma to win the seat,” Minister Rakkam Sangma added.

Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to Northeast Live, Bernard Marak has said that his speech has been misinterpreted. He also accused the NPP of mistreating ally BJP.

“NPP has misinterpreted the statement which was taken in local language. I said when BJP decided not to field candidate for Tura seat, even Saleng Sangma approached me. Since BJP decided not to field a candidate, many party workers left the party and voted for Saleng Sangma. Many of them were not even willing to work with NPP, because NPP has treated BJP as an opposition in Garo Hills,” said Marak.

Saleng Sangma won the seat with a considerable margin of 1,55,241 votes.

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