In Meghalaya poll-bound Prime Minister will compaign for BJP

Shillong: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will campaign for the BJP in Meghalaya in the second week of February for the upcoming assembly elections in the northeastern state, the party’s state unit president Ernest Mawrie said on Friday.

Prime Minister,Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani and Nitin Gadkari will be among the 20 star campaigners of the saffron party in the state for the February 27 elections, he said.
Mawrie said that the Chief Ministers of other BJP-ruled states will also campaign in the state.

The date of the Prime Minister’s visit has not been fixed. But after February 10, probably February 11-12, the prime minister will address several election rallies in all the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo hill regions of the state,” Mawrie said.
The BJP is considering increasing its presence in the 60-member House from the current two to lead the next government.

The state party president said the BJP will announce its list of candidates in February after the Election Commission notifies the polls.

“We have prepared the list today and we are going to send it to Delhi. We are likely to announce the names of the candidates by February 2,” he said after presiding over a meeting of the BJP’s state election committee.
According to Mawrie, the party will field about 10 female candidates.
Expressing confidence that the party will win more seats in the upcoming elections than last time, he said, “Last time we predicted a win of 25 seats. This time we have estimated 35 seats and we hope to win more seats so that we can lead the government.

When asked, Mawrie said, “We are not planning an alliance with any party.” Let us wait till the results to find like minded parties who are ready to implement our agenda of corruption free governance.”
The BJP is a partner of the current ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance in the state, led by the National People’s Party of Chief Minister Conrad P. Sangma.
Mawrie said the party would focus on development in its manifesto. “We don’t have good infrastructure in terms of roads (in Meghalaya). People always complain about traffic jams. We don’t have medical or engineering colleges. All these problems will be solved if we have one here in Meghalaya and in the centre. The government of the same party should be a two-engine government,” he said.
Pointing out the progress in Assam, the state BJP president said, “Look at the neighboring state. There has been rapid progress in terms of roads, colleges and medical colleges. The people of Meghalaya have the same desire for progress. If we get a chance to form the next government (in Meghalaya), we will take it.
On fielding candidates with criminal background, he said the party has not yet received any information about them.
There may be some cases against some of the candidates but it is not known to us. We will follow the Election Commission’s guidelines if and when we get such information,” he added.
Asked about the party’s stand on the inner line permit issue, Mawrie said the state government had passed an official resolution on it in the assembly and it was now with the Centre. “We will wait for the Centre’s decision.”

The Meghalaya Assembly passed a resolution in December 2019 urging the Center to implement the ILP in the state under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations 1873 to protect the interests of the citizens of the state.