UDP to demand removal of BJP from MDA govt after ADC polls

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 25, 2019

SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP), one of the biggest regional parties in the state, today said it would demand the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) to consider removing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).

The UDP having 7 MLAs in the 60-member House is the main ally of the NPP-led MDA government in the state.

“The MDA is slated to have its meeting after the ADC results are over and this (to remove the BJP) will be taken up there as one of the agendas,” UDP vice president Allantry F Dkhar told reporters at a news conference here on Monday.

He was reacting to a query that despite the UDP’s decision to pull out of the BJP-led North East Development Alliance (NEDA), yet it still continues to be part of the BJP-backed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

Asked whether the party would reach out to the opposition Congress in case the NPP is adamant to remove the BJP, Dkhar however said, “At this juncture I cannot comment on that but like I said earlier, we will cross the bridge when we reached there.”

The UDP leader further stated that it is not the party’s look out on how the political parties including the BJP is in the coalition government as this is the prerogative of the leading partner.

“You can point fingers at me and my party if we are leading the government. This is the misinformation campaign of the Congress across the ADC constituencies wherein they said look in Assam AGP have pulled out but in Meghalaya UDP is still part of the BJP-backed MDA because they are hungry for power, but it is nothing like that. BJP is not leading the government,” he said.

When pointed out on the UDP’s role as a king maker, Dkhar however said, “Yes UDP has made the king now it is the king’s prerogative to take a call (on whether to remove the BJP from the MDA).”