In Meghalaya ruling alliance slugfest, BJP draws first blood; takes in two NPP MLAs

Welcoming the newcomers, Assam Chief Minister and chairperson of the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Himanta Biswa Sarma said the four MLAs joining the BJP was a “very new and good beginning”. He claimed the BJP had developed a permanent address in the Northeast with second-term governments in three states.

“When the BJP started its journey in the Northeast, people in Delhi thought these were accidental cases and a temporary phenomenon. But BJP-led governments in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur were elected twice. Outreach and address of the BJP in the Northeast have become permanent. Taking the momentum further, we are preparing for elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. I can assure you that the BJP will get spectacular wins in these states this time as well,” Sarma said.

Four MLAs from Meghalaya today joined the BJP in a programme organised at the party headquarters in New Delhi in presence of Hon’ble CM of Assam Shri @himantabiswa ji and Other National Leaders along with State President Shri @ErnestMawrie ji & other senior functionaries of party pic.twitter.com/9ICVauqVvw

— BJP Meghalaya (@BJP4Meghalaya) December 14, 2022

On behalf of the newcomers, Shangpliang said people want change in Meghalaya and the change can only come through the BJP. “BJP has brought a lot of change in the Northeast. We see other states growing and want Meghalaya to grow as well. We are going to take the message of the PM to our people and our constituencies. We need a change in Meghalaya and it can come through the BJP and PM Modi alone,” he said.

Responding to the developments, the NPP said all MLAs who left the party and went to the BJP were left with “little option” since they did not tend their constituencies much in the last five years and so the NPP was contemplating their replacements for the next polls.

“In any case, their position was very weak in their respective seats due to neglect of their constituents. NPP would have been very circumspect about giving tickets again. They joined BJP because they were left with few options. The political future of Meghalaya lies with the NPP. We are careful about whom we give tickets to and it will be based on how they have nurtured their seats,” NPP spokesperson James Sangma told The Indian Express.

The state’s ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) now includes 21 NPP MLAs and two MLAs from the BJP among others. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is in opposition in the state, has 11 MLAs. Parties such as the NCP, the United Democratic Front (UDP), and the PDF have a few MLAs while a few independents are also there in the House. The Congress has zero seats in the Assembly after a few defections and suspensions. Those who joined the BJP on Wednesday had resigned beforehand, rendering their seats vacant.

While the NPP claims it has what it takes to form the government for another term under Conrad Sangma, the BJP, the TMC and the Congress have redrawn their poll strategies recently, with all of them expected to fight solo and setting the stage for a four-corner fight.

How BJP and NPP fell out

Experts said the latest desertions on the surface look like a mere boost for the BJP but have deeper ramifications as the saffron party has taken on of its oldest allies in the northeast and is now sounding the drumbeats of a solo battle in the next polls.

Though the NPP is still a member of the NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance, a Northeastern NDA of sorts led by the BJP), the party’s relations with the BJP have been far from friendly. It all started with the July 26 arrest of state BJP vice-president and MLA Bernard Marak for alleged involvement in a sex racket at a farmhouse in the West Garo Hills district. Marak was released on bail in October this year due to “insufficient evidence”, but the BJP had since amped its activities against the NPP, claiming the latter is knee-deep in corruption and that it would contest alone in all 60 seats of the state Assembly.

In response, Conrad Sangma said on November 20 that the NPP was ready to fight the elections alone in the 2023 polls and had already finalised candidates for 58 seats.

A senior BJP leader who didn’t wish to be named, told The Indian Express, “We were allies. Allies respect each other. But they neither take our advice nor our strategy. They went on their own, even announced recently to fight alone. They think they can do better, so we told them to go ahead. We started working out strategies on our own.”

Such a high number of seats contested by potential allies isn’t new in Meghalaya’s political landscape either, as the NPP contested 53 seats alone in 2018. Back then, the BJP contested 47 out of 60 seats and won two with a political organisation that had barely started in the state.

Fast forward five years, the saffron party now says there are takers across the state and multiple prospective candidates in most seats.

A source in the BJP said the party was confident of winning at least 26 seats. While many leaders from different parties are supposedly in talks for joining BJP, the saffron party is taking things slow this time. “People are watching. The BJP’s prospects are better now. Central government assistance is given to the NE states and people have understood they can’t run their governments in isolation,” the source said, adding that BJP would prefer newcomers since not all seats were suitable for the party.

“We contested in 47 seats, won two last time. It was different then. Almost anyone credible holding the flag was given a ticket. This time there’s a wave of popularity for the BJP. A lot of NPP leaders are in talks with us, most from the Garo Hills side. They don’t like their party due to corruption,” the BJP leader said.