BJP a threat to NPP in 2023: Marak
The state BJP on Saturday said it has become a “big threat” for the Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) national president Conrad K Sangma in the 2023 Assembly polls.
The statement came after the NPP has decided not to approach the BJP to form the new executive committee (EC) in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
The Garo Hills Democratic Coalition (GHDC) was formed by the NPP (11) with the support of the Garo National Council (1) and Independents (3).
The BJP has won two seats including South Tura, which is the home constituency of the chief minister.
Addressing media persons, BJP leader and newly elected MDC from South Tura Bernard N Marak said that the reason for the NPP avoiding the BJP is because if the BJP is part of the EC, it will not allow corruption.
Marak said another reason is because he had won from the prestigious South Tura seat.
“In simple words actually they (NPP) are very apprehensive towards BJP because BJP is gaining ground and gaining support in Garo Hills where they thought the tribals and the Christians will not vote for BJP but there is open support to the BJP now. It has become a threat to his (CM) constituency as well as his party,” he said.
“If I am in the EC, we will not allow corruption and we will try to justify the misappropriation that has been done in the past and once it happened, means it is a threat for him in 2023. That is the main reason why he (CM) is trying to sideline the BJP. He is not trying to work with the BJP but he is trying to sideline the BJP so that he can work freely in his area and do whatever they want. If we are not in the EC they will try to misappropriate the funds also…,” he added.
Marak however said the MDCs of the party will stick to the decision taken by the central leadership.
Asked why should the post of CEM be given to the BJP, Marak said that the district council should be led by someone who knows the provisions of the Sixth Scheduled to the Constitution.
“Now, if it is led by someone who is a public representative of the state as well as district council, there is going to be conflict and big confusion, so I don’t know what CM is doing. He is appointing an MLA (Benedict) as CEM of district council. An MLA is representing the state and he is also now representing the district council so how will they debate in terms of autonomous of the district council with the state authorities,” he said.
Stating that there is so much manipulation in the GHADC, Marak said, “In the Khasi and Jaintia Hills you will never hear a bureaucrat being the secretary of the district council but in Garo Hills they (NPP) have appointed an MCS officer as the secretary and that also they say temporarily or that appointing her was only for 6 months but now it is more than two years and there has been lots of misappropriation inspite of her being the secretary of the council. So something is very wrong in the way how they are running the council, so we want to stand in between to bring in change to the district council and to all the manipulation in the district council.”
Asked if BJP is ready to work with Congress if given the chance to lead the EC, Marak however said that will depend on the decision of the party leadership. “We will stick to the decision taken by our high command,” he added.Meanwhile, the BJP state president Ernest Mawrie said that it would be too early to say if the situation in Garo Hills would affect their relationship with the MDA.
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