Mawrie eyes Lok Sabha seat
Staff Reporter
Shillong, April 4: BJP state President Ernest Mawrie has stated that he is ready to be the candidate of the party from the Shillong parliamentary seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state.
“As president of the party, if the party decides, I am ready to be the candidate of the party for the Lok Sabha election from the Shillong seat. I will not deny the decision of the party,” Mawrie told reporters today.
He however informed that the party is yet to discuss the candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state while reacting to reports that top leaders including M Kharkrang and HM Shangpliang are vying for the party ticket for the election.
The party has formed the Lok Sabha Prabhas and it will be headed by the state general secretary GC Nongbet as convener and there will be three co-conveners.
“Our main intention is to strengthen the party. The Lok Sabha Prabhas will go to each and every constituency to strengthen the organization,” he said.
Mawrie said it is too early now to identify the candidates since the party has one year to prepare adding “But we will look for winnable candidates as we are serious to win in both the seats – Shillong and Tura.”
Ao takes diplomatic stance on ‘fighting corruption’
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 7: The BJP national vice president and Meghalaya In-charge Dr M Chuba Ao remained tight-lipped regarding the party’s stand to fight against corruption.
On BJP to go ahead with its decision to investigate all cases of corruption against the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA-I) government, Dr Ao said, “Now, we are not talking about corruption. Let us form the government after that we will work and you will see how smoothly we run the government.”
He said the allegations of corruption were made during election time. “They also make allegations against our political party (that it is a) Hindu party and Hindutva”.
He however said there is no proof of the allegations of corruption. “We will stick to that only but we will work and we will come to know what is there. We also promise that we will not do such kinds of things,” Dr Ao said.
Whether he meant to say there was no corruption at all in the MDA-I government, the BJP leader however said, “I can’t say because at that time we were not so much acquainted with each other it is only we form the government to take the numbers but this time we are much more united.”
Hek, Shullai to share cabinet berth
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 7: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided that the cabinet berth will be shared between the two of its MLAs – Alexander Laloo Hek and Sanbor Shullai.
The decision came a day before Hek was sworn in as cabinet minister in the Conrad K Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA-2) government.
In a letter to the NPP Chief, the BJP state president Ernest Mawrie said, “The party and its MLAs have symbiotically agreed to allow AL Hek to hold the berth for the first two and a half years which will end on August 7, 2025, following which Sanbor Shullai will hold the cabinet berth for the remaining term. Both the MLAs are hereby asked to respect and abide by the decision of the party and work mutually to ensure good governance and also to ensure check and balance.”
“Thus, I request your esteemed office to kindly honour the decision of the party and ensure both the MLAs get equal opportunity considering their seniority and support to your government,” he added.
BJP Meghalaya In-charge Dr M Chuba Ao along with Hek and Shullai were also signatories of the letter submitted to the NPP chief.
After attending the swearing-in ceremony of the 12-member council of ministers, Shullai told reporters that this time an official agreement to share the cabinet berth between the two MLAs was made in the presence of the party leaders unlike in the last term which was only a “verbal agreement”.
“Besides the chief minister, the letter was also sent to the BJP national president JP Nadda and general secretary Rituraj Sinha,” he said.
Shullai said he does not have any problem waiting for his turn to take over as cabinet minister after 2 and a half years.
On his role in the government, the former cabinet minister said, “It will depend on the prerogative of the chief minister. I will accept anything for the interest of the people of my constituency.”