Youth expelled from BJP

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JULY 31: An aspiring candidate from North Shillong Tony Marbaniang, who was expelled from the primary membership of the BJP, has threatened to campaign against its state vice president John Anthony Lyngdoh to ensure his defeat in the upcoming Assembly elections, slated next year.

The disciplinary committee of the state BJP has decided to expel Marbaniang, who joined the party last year, for a period of six years for his alleged “anti-party activities”.

The youth had earlier this year filed an FIR against Lyngdoh, also a BJP candidate from the same constituency, for falsely accusing him of proposing to contest the election just for the sake of money in a meeting held at Oakland Community Hall on May 14.

“I challenge JA Lyngdoh, the state BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh and the members of the disciplinary committee that he will not win in 2018. I will work day and night to ensure this becomes a reality,” Marbaniang told reporters at a press conference here on Monday.

Accusing the state leadership of violating the party constitution of the BJP, he alleged that the party has posted the expulsion letter without adhering to the party constitution by failing to issue any show cause or chargesheet before arriving at such decision (to expel him).

“I have nothing against the party but I am totally against the leaders running the party in Meghalaya. I don’t think that Shibun is fit to lead the party when he doesn’t know the constitution of his own party,” he said.

He claimed that alleging him of indulging in anti-party activities is without any proof while adding that he was never called to appear before the disciplinary committee to hear his side of the story.

Asked, Marbaniang said that he is not willing to accept the decision and is planning to take up the matter to the party’s national leadership for necessary intervention into this alleged act of injustice by the state party.

Referring to the party leaders including JA Lyngdoh for refusing to recognize him as a member of the BJP earlier, he said now, with this letter of expulsion it shows that they have accepted that he was a member of the party.

He also alleged that Shibun Lyngdoh and his other vice president Bashailang Khongwir also refused to entertain him whenever he approach or call them over phone.

Meanwhile, Marbaniang, who also earlier wish to apply for ticket from the BJP, said that he has decided to go ahead with his decision to contest from the constituency.