State BJP wants candidates, Centre asks party to support NPP nominees
Shillong, Mar 22: The central BJP’s decision to support NPP candidates-Ampareen Lyngdoh (Shillong) and Agatha Sangma(Tura) is a setback for the eleven ticket aspirants from both the constituencies.
BJP MLA Sanbor Shullai had recommended the name of Fenela Lyngdoh Nonglait who recently joined the party to be selected as the candidate for Shillong.
Besides Nonglait, other ticket aspirants for Shillong seat were cabinet minister AL Hek, former state BJP president Ernest Mawrie, BJYM president Mewaker Lyngdoh and Sumitra Laloo.
The aspirants from Tura were Tura MDC Bernard Marak, former MLAs – Winnerson D Sangma and KC Boro, former MDC Boston Marak, Riya Sangma and Thomas Marak.
The decision not to field candidates has also given space for the Opposition to blame both the NPP and the BJP as two sides of the same coin, sources said.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra announced the decision to support the NPP candidates in Meghalaya.
BJP state president Rikman G Momin said that the decision was taken at an NDA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday.
“The PM has decided to honour the NDA alliance partners and hence this decision,” Momin said.
Earlier, the NPP had decided to support two BJP Lok Sabha candidates in Arunachal Pradesh.
According to Momin, who will be chairing a state party meeting on Saturday, the state members will have to abide by the decision of the central leadership”.
However, critics of the BJP pointed out that during the last Assembly polls, the central leaders and the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had termed the NPP government as the most corrupt in the country.
