BJP likely to withdraw support from Meghalaya's MDA govt

Shillong, Sep 3 (IANS) BJP's National Vice-President and party's Meghalaya in-charge M. Chuba Ao on Saturday said that the party may withdraw support from the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government within a month.

The BJP with two MLAs is a junior ally of the National People's Party (NPP) dominated six-party coalition government.

Ao said that discussions are on at various levels of the party, which would finalise the whether to support the MDA government or not, within a month.

The BJP leader said that the party has been studying the reports on the various corruption allegations against the state government and the CBI would handle the charges once they acquire all the papers.

Even though the NPP, headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, is an important constituent of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), its relation with the saffron party is gradually souring over various issues, specially after the arrest of BJP Meghalaya unit vice-president Bernard N. Marak.

Marak was arrested from Uttar Pradesh on July 25 for allegedly running a brothel in the West Garo Hills district.

BJP workers and leaders had earlier organised protests in Tura demanding a fair probe in Marak's case, while the party workers in West Garo Hills organised a signature campaign demanding the removal of the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of the district.

In defence of Marak, BJP leaders claimed that the farmhouse in the brothel case has been operational since 2019 but the raid was carried out just six months prior to the Assembly elections in Meghalaya to malign Marak and to damage his political career.