Ashish Ranjan
The Congress attacks the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday for rushing to support a government led by National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma in Meghalaya, claiming that the BJP viewed the NPP-led government as the “most corrupt” in the run-up to the election, but is now joining hands with him “in a fit of amnesia”.
“When the Prime Minister, Interior Minister Amit Shah, and BJP president JP Nadda visited Meghalaya, they all accused and insulted the NPP.” The following day, however, they united after the BJP received only two of the sixty seats available. This is how the BJP deceives the people of India and Meghalaya, Meghalaya Congress chief Vincent H. Pala said on Monday at a news conference in New Delhi.
The Congress also released a number of videos of speeches given by prominent BJP leaders during the election campaign in Meghalaya, in which they accuse the Sangma-led government of corruption and nepotism.
“According to the PM and HM, Conrad Sangma’s government in Meghalaya was the MOST corrupt in the country a few days ago. Now, presumably due to amnesia, the BJP has joined forces with him. Meghalaya deserves better,” tweeted Jairam Ramesh, general secretary of the Congress. “I should have added that the BJP Washing Machine is currently operating at full capacity,” Ramesh said.
Supriya Shrinate, a spokesperson for the Congress, recalled at a press conference in Delhi that the BJP leadership demanded an investigation into corruption allegations against the NPP government prior to the election, but has no reservations about partnering with the same party now. “This type of corruption-related drama has also occurred in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, and Uttar Pradesh,” she said.
The National People’s Party (NPP), which won 26 seats in the 60-member assembly, had the support of two BJP legislators, two MLAs from the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP), and two Independent MLAs, bringing their total to 32 and one more than the required 31 for a majority.
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The United Democratic Party (UDP), the second-largest party with 11 seats, and the Peoples’ Democratic Front (PDF), which has two MLAs, extended their support for Conrad on Sunday evening, bringing the coalition’s total to 45 lawmakers.
