BJP makes inroad, MDCs join party

SHILLONG, NOV 5: Ahead of the December KHADC and JHADC bye-polls and 2018 assembly elections, the  Bharatiya Janata

Party (BJP) got a shot in the arms when leaders of different political parties, including the ruling Congress, formally joined the saffron party at a function held in the state’s capital on Saturday.

For the first time the BJP has made inroad into the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) with the former Congress MDC Neil Antonio War being one amongst the six leaders joining its fold.

War had recently resigned from the Congress in protest against suspension of KHADC chief PN Syiem as MLA and MDC,

He claimed that his joining the BJP will further strengthen the ruling PDF executive committee led by Syiem.

If given BJP ticket, Syiem, who is independent MDC, said he is ready to contest the upcoming 2018 election against the sitting Congress legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh, presently a minister in the Mukul led Congress government.

Apart from War, the other five leaders who joined the saffron party includes Congress leader from Garo Hills Ismail Marak, MDC of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Roghteous Sangma, independent MDCs Sofiur Rahman and Kurosh Marak and United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Field Marshall Mawpniang.

Addressing newsmen, BJP national spokesman Nalin Kohlin said that the “count down has begun” in as far as MLAs and MDCs leaving the ruling Congress.

Kohli claimed that more and more people are feeling that staying on the sinking ship will be injurious to their own survival and health and they will have no face to go to the people due to lack of development.-By Our Reporter