Shillong, Jan 9: State BJP president Ernest Mawrie has downplayed the demand for change of leadership in the party and disagreed with BJP Meghalaya in-charge M Chuba Ao who had recently admitted to differences over Mawrie continuing as party president.
Mawrie said the state BJP vice president and spokesperson, Bernard Marak had come out in support of him and that the party workers in Garo Hills are supporting him.
Many had questioned Mawrie over setback to the party in the bypolls.
Mawrie, however, said it was a collective decision to put up a candidate for Rajabala bypoll and hence he should not be blamed for the poll debacle.
The state BJP chief said he is ready to meet and discuss grievances if any with people who need clarification.
Corruption issues
Mawrie said even though the BJP is part of the NPP- led MDA coalition government, the party will continue to raise issues of corruption.
Mawrie said the government needs to take proper action to stop corruption .
He asserted that the BJP had conveyed to the chief minister Conrad Sangma that the party has zero tolerance agaisnt corruption.
ILP issue
Mawrie said issues like the ILP has been raised by the party and the state and central leaders are very serious to implement the ILP in the state for the protection and interests of the indigenous people of the state.
Political suicide
Mawrie termed as political suicide the exit of 12 Congress MLAs to AITC.
Accord to Mawrie, Mukul & company should have joined a national party as they were from a national party .
“They should have joined BJP and not TMC as TMC is a not a national party,” he said.
Mukul met BJP leadership
Mawrie admitted that Mukul had met NEDA Convenor and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other BJP national leaders to explore the possibility of joining the saffron party before joining the TMC.
The state BJP chief added that the doors of the BJP are open for those who want to join the party.
“The 12 MLAs from the AITC (Mukul and Co ) if they want to reconcile, still one year is there they can join us” , he said.
Border dispute
While lauding the MDA government for the initiative to resolve border dispute, Mawrie admitted that the matter has now become an election issue .
He said the border issue used to dominate election campaigns but once the polls are over everything subsides.
Mawrie said it was he who had urged the chief minister to capitalise on the border issue as the Union Home minister wanted the NE states to resolve the border dispute between them once and for all and as far as Meghalaya is concerned, it would be ideal to resolve it before the golden jubilee celebrations of the state on January 21.
Cong mukt Meghalaya
To a question whether the Congress party would be a threat to the BJP in the next elections, Mawrie said, “Yes, like we say Congress Mukt bharat and Congress is finished everywhere”.
Mawrie recalled the recent comments made by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong about Congress being a sinking ship and added that the Congress would not come back to power in the entire country.
