Staff Reporter
SHILLONG:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on February 19 said the other political parties contesting the upcoming Assembly polls in Meghalaya have been taken a back by the surge in sentiment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to bring a BJP government in the state.
National secretary and BJP co-incharge of Meghalaya, Rituraj Sinha, said that Amit Shah and other star campaigners have been addressing election rallies in the state and the large turnouts have taken people by complete surprise.
“There is a CM and ex-CM of the state who are addressing election rallies of 1500-2000 people and the turnout in BJP rallies to listen to Amit Shah has been in excess of 10,000 to 15,000 people,” Sinha claimed.
He said all this was in Rangsakona, North Tura and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s home turf South Tura or in remote areas like Dalu and Baghmara.
He said that the BJP’s opponents were so surprised at the turn-outs in these rallies that when the party applied for permission for the Prime Minister’s rally in PA Sangma Stadium in Tura, it was denied.
Sinha said that the authorities claimed that permission was denied because the stadium was incomplete.
“My question is this, if the (construction) PA Sangma Stadium is incomplete for the PM’s rally in February, so why on December 16, the Chief Minister inaugurated it stating that then it was completed and a grand event was held,” he asked.
Sinha also said that on December 16, it was told to the people of the state that the stadium was completed but two months later permission is being denied to hold the rally in the PA Sangma stadium.
“This is only because somewhere there is fear,” he said.
According to Sinha, it is the Sports Department which is stating that the facilities in the stadium are not ready for Modi’s rally.
He asked why the people of Garo Hills should be denied the opportunity to listen to Prime Minister Modi.
“Is our opposition like Conrad Sangma and Mukul Sangma so scared that they are now trying to prevent the Prime Minister from addressing a rally in Tura. Is this democratic,” Sinha said.
He said that the PA Sangma stadium was built at a cost of Rs 127 crore and 90 per cent of the funds was given by the centre.
However, Sinha alleged that the Chief Minister presented a different picture of the stadium by stating that it was his government who constructed the facility.
“But if he had been inaugurated on December 16, then why is it being shown as incomplete for the PM’s rally, two months later,” he said.
Sinha asked whether the National People’s Party (NPP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) are scared of the fact that there is a wave in favour of Prime Minister Modi and people have made up their minds that they will root up corruption and reject dynastic politics from Meghalaya and bring the BJP to power.
He also said that corruption in Meghalaya is to such a level that the affidavits filed by contesting candidates shows that they have assets and properties worth hundreds of crores.
“If they are politicians of the state where have they gathered and accumulated all this money,” Sinha asked.
He also asked whether the BJP’s opponents are panicking that if the party comes to power their entire dark deeds will come to a stop.
Sinha also said that if the Prime Minister, Modi, had made up his mind to speak with the people of the state no power in this world can stop him from.
“He will come to Shillong and also go to Tura and speak to the brothers and sisters of Meghalaya,” the national secretary and BJP co-incharge of Meghalaya said.
Modi is expected to address elections rallies in the state on February 24.