SHILLONG:
BJP leader and cabinet minister AL Hek on Wednesday said the party will put up candidates for both Shillong and Tura parliamentary seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to be held next year.
“BJP will contest (the Lok Sabha polls). We intend to put up candidates both for Shillong and Tura,” Hek informed reporters.
Asked if the party’s poor performance in the last Assembly elections will affect its prospect to win the LS elections, the minister said, “How many states are BJP ruling at present? One or two states, there may be setbacks but BJP is still ruling the country. The Prime Minister is doing tremendous services for the country including Meghalaya.”
Asked if the party will approach former chief minister Mukul Sangma to contest Tura seat, Hek however said, “Mukul is from TMC and they have not joined the BJP. The elephant is still in the wild and you are already offering the ivory here.”
“Where is TMC and where is BJP? I am not from TMC so how will I know? Who will join BJP? Our door is open if they (TMC MLAs) want to join,” he added.
On the other hand, Hek said former Mawsynram legislator Himalaya M Shangpliang is one of the good and prominent candidates.
“If there are any other good candidates, definitely the BJP will be united to support the party candidates,” he added.