Tura, Jan 31: BJP’s candidate from South Tura Bernard Marak is confident that BJP will win more than 15 of the 24 seats in Garo Hills.
Speaking to mediapersons in the BJP office in Tura, Bernard said the party is looking at winning a single majority in the state.
The fight in South Tura is intriguing as Bernard will face Conrad Sangma. It becomes even more interesting after the state government’s hasty action against Bernard last year and his arrest in the Rimpu Bagan POCSO case.
Bernard had been instrumental in flagging the lacunae in the state’s governance. On Tuesday, he said the BJP at the Centre was aware of the failures of the Conrad government.
When asked about the demand for the inner line permit (ILP), the BJP candidate said the issue was mainly raised by NGOs and there was a need to know the pulse of the people.
“We want to see a majority of people support us in this election for ILP implementation,” he added.
The party will also take up the issue of the inclusion of Garo language in the Eighth Schedule, he informed.
The BJP at the national level is being pilloried by several quarters for banning the BBC documentary series on the Gujarat riots. However, Bernard said the issue would not affect his chances in Tura.
