BJP appeals to MDA partners to support Danggo in Ranikor by poll

SHILLONG, JUNE 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appealed to all the coalition partners of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance to support the consensus candidate from the National People’s Party (NPP) for the upcoming bye-election in Ranikor to ensure stability in the present MDA government is further strengthened.

“We appeal to all leaders of political parties, who are MDA coalition partners to follow our footsteps by reconsidering their decision to set up candidates for the Ranikor by poll,” BJP leader and South Shillong legislator Sanbor Shullai told reporters here on Friday.

Shullai, who is also the chairman of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), said that the BJP has given its commitment to support Martin M Danggo, who will be contesting from the ruling NPP to retain the Ranikor seat.

“The decision of the party in the state not to set up any candidate from Ranikor has also got the approval of the BJP central leadership. Therefore, we are extending our full support to Danggo till the end,” he said.

This came following the decision of some of the coalition partners like the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People’s Democratic Front (PDF) to field candidates for the Ranikor by poll.

While the PDF is projecting its leader Pynshngain N Syiem, who is a former Mawsynram MLA, as a common candidate by seeking the support of grassroot leaders of different political parties based in Ranikor constituency, the UDP is likely to field Pius Marwein, a candidate who came in the second place in the February 27 Assembly poll, this year.

The bye-election was necessitated following the recent resignation of Danggo, a five-time MLA and former senior Congress leader, as member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly after the MDA government decided to upgrade the Ranikor Administrative Unit into a Civil Sub-Division.

However, Shullai said that it would be better for all the coalition partners in the MDA to unitedly support NPP candidate to ensure stability of the present state government is further strengthened.

Expressing confidence that Danggo would retain the Ranikor seat by a whooping margin, the BJP leader further warned partners not to embarrass themselves by contesting the bye-election as he predicts that most will surely “forfeit” their security deposits.

“They (coalition partners) should reconsider their decisions otherwise they will only forfeit their security deposits because the issue of Civil Sub-Division will surely help Danggo in winning and sweeping the bye-election,” he said.

He also reminded the coalition partners that the commitment to form the MDA government was to throw away the opposition Congress in the state. “Therefore let us combine together as a force to ensure we can comfortably win the Ranikor seat,” he added.

Yesterday, BJP Ranikor leader Pelcy Snaitang, who is also holding the post of a state mahila president, had stated that the party from the constituency will support the common candidate from the PDF after attending a meeting convened by PN Syiem in the city here.

Asked, Shullai however said the decision taken by few leaders of the party in Ranikor constituency will not be counted.

“BJP means Sanbor Shullai and AL Hek, who are elected leaders and such decision will be for the party high command to decide based on the recommendation of MLAs,” he said.

By Our Reporter