SHILLONG:
Even before voting begins, a clash of opinions within the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is already visible following claims made by party candidate from Pynthorumkhrah AL Hek that he would be the chief minister if the saffron party comes to power.
Hek’s statement did not go down well with senior party MLA Sanbor Shullai and other leaders.
While Shullai criticised Hek for “blowing his own trumpet”, party candidate from Mawsynram, Himalaya M. Shangpliang, said a CM candidate can only be determined post elections.
“We have to meet together after the counting is over; first, we would like to see how many seats we win, and the leadership issue will come later. Let us first win the elections,” Shangpliang told media persons after filing his nomination in Shillong on February 7.
Pynthorumkhrah sitting MLA AL Hek on February 6 projected himself as the chief ministerial candidate, stating that the party has with consensus chosen him to be the chief of the election committee, the leader of the campaigning committee with the blessings of the central leaders of the BJP.
Countering Hek’s claims, South Shillong sitting MLA Sanbor Shullai said, “The BJP is a national party. It does not belong to Hek alone.”