SHILLONG:
The cat is finally out of the bag with the National People’s Party (NPP) on Wednesday revealing why it has been stomaching all the criticism hurled by the coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against it.
“We wanted them (BJP) to be in the MDA government because at the Centre, BJP is in power and it will be good for Meghalaya. The BJP leadership at the Centre shares a good rapport with our chief minister and the NPP and it is also a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Considering and respecting, we (NPP) have tolerated so much despite them (state BJP) speaking profusely against the NPP-led government and our chief minister,” said NPP leader and Deputy Assembly Speaker Timothy D Shira.
Referring to the recent comments of BJP leader and cabinet minister Sanbor Shullai, who had lashed out at his party colleagues – Ernest Mawrie and AL Hek – for making anti-government statements without consulting him, Shira alleged lack of harmony among the leaders of the state BJP.
Echoing Shullai, Shira said, “It should not be individual voices. All leaders of a party need to be consulted and then a joint statement made. That is the usual practice of political parties,” said the three-time legislator from Resubelpara.
Shira further stressed that the BJP is a coalition partner in the MDA with only two legislators, yet the party was never ignored or neglected during decision-making.
Shira, however, did not mince words while reacting to BJP member of district council (MDC) from Tura Bernard N Marak’s frequent allegations of corruption against the MDA and chief minister.
Launching a scathing attack on the MDC, the Deputy Assembly Speaker asked the militant-turned-politician to recall his underground days and challenged him to pronounce that he was corruption-free.
“Before joining the mainstream, he was part of an underground outfit. What is the aim and objective of a proscribed outfit? They simply say that we are working for the people, but did they really work for the people? They just killed innocent people and extorted money. Was it not corruption?” asked Shira.
Urging the people to remember a person’s background before putting in even an iota of trust in them, Shira said, “These are the things we have to think about. People have to realise what kind of a man he is. Was he innocent? If he is given a chance, maybe he will be more corrupt.”
Shira, however, admitted that not all BJP leaders are like Marak. “I don’t know his (Marak) rank in the party but he is speaking too much against our chief minister and the NPP,” he added.