Exclusive
Riding on its meteoric rise in Assam and Tripura, where the party transformed from a marginal force to sweeping victories within a decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party is now eyeing a similar performance in Meghalaya in the months and years ahead.
Anil K Antony, BJP incharge of Meghalaya, told Meghalaya News 24, “Today was our first State Executive Meeting and is a workshop for our new office bearers regarding some of the activities and some of the policies of the party in the upcoming three years and some of the senergies between some of the important areas of concern where the state unite will be working on few months and years. The elections are three years away, the last election was two years away as far as the state elections are concerned, the party is continuously growing in all parts of the country especially in the North East also. The Lok Sabha elections was a historic victory for us. We are very sure that in Meghalaya our party will grow. Tripura was a state where we had only 2 percent vote share just 10 years back, now in last two elections we have won with record Margins. In Assam, 10 years back we didn’t have any MP, now for the second straight line we have state Government and we are expecting record victory. North East, 8 years back we did not had any states but now four of the eight states are governed by the BJP and three by the NDA and here also we have two MLAs. So past is past and we are growing every where and we are very sure in Meghalaya also we will grow.”
On why the party did not contest the recent Lok Sabha elections in Meghalaya, Antony said, “There were reason why certain decisions were taken. Those were looking at National as well as holistic situation. I am very sure our central leadership takes decisions based on realities and many other political considerations because Meghalaya NPP Conrad Sangma’s party is a long standing ally of us not just in Meghalaya but also in many other states. Multiple considering must have been there.”
Dismissing allegations that atrocities against Christians were weakening the party’s prospects in the region, Antony said, “These are misinformation spead by most of our political opponents. PM works with the motto of Sab ka Saath Sab ka Vikas. How central government gives benefits, there is over 300 schemes started by PM Modi, no body who is a minority is discriminated in any manner while giving schemes and benefits, certain isolated incidents by certain elements who are not a part of BJP in any manner is being used to create Misinformation in many parts where minorities are the majorities, But people of India see through all these kind of misinformation. There are many states in India including Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh Goa, in many Christian dominated seats BJP is winning we have lot of Christian MLAs in the BJP. The Party is making enroute.”
