Abhishek Banerjee calls Meghalaya CM 'puppet of Delhi/Assam'

Shillong, Feb 15 (IANS) Trinamool Congress national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the ruling National Peoples Party in Meghalaya while campaigning for his partys candidates in the state's Tura area on Wednesday.

Banerjee alleged that Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has become a puppet of Delhi and Assam, referring to the BJP leadership.

"Why should Meghalaya bow down before Assam and Delhi," he asked at a public meeting in south Tura.

According to Banerjee, Meghalaya must be considered as part of Eastern India and the country's development should begin from here as the Sun rises from the east.

The Trinamool leader also attacked Conrad Sangma over an incident that took place in Mukhroh village adjacent to Assam-Meghalaya border where five civilians were killed after the Assam police opened fire on them.

"Was it not the responsibility of the Chief Minister to take proper steps when innocent people of the state were killed," he asked.

Banerjee said Sangma should have stepped down as the Chief Minister's after the incident.

He also drew the example of West Bengal, which shares boundary with Assam, Odisha and Jharkhand.

"No one has the guts to shoot our people because the Chief Minister's name is Mamata Banerjee," he claimed.

The Trinamool leader also accused Sangma of being involved in various illegal businesses.

"Sangma could not say a word against the Assam Chief Minister after the firing incident because he knows that had he said anything, the ED or the CBI would have sent him a notice," Banerjee said.

He also alleged that in order to protect his `illegal business', the Meghalaya Chief Minister has been sacrificing the interest of the people of the state.

Elections to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will be held on February 27, while the results will be declared on March 2.