TURA: Four former MLAs, including two from Congress, hailing from the western Garo Hills region of Meghalaya joined BJP today ahead of the Assembly elections early next year.
The four former MLAs who joined BJP are-- Billykid Sangma, John Manner Marak, Adolf Lu Hitler Marak and Omillo K Sangma.
While Omillo and John Manner were members of the National People's Party, Hitler and Billykid were former Congress MLAs.
BJP has two MLAs in the present 60-member Meghalaya Assembly. The term of the Assembly will end on March 6 next year and elections are expected early in 2018.
The joining of the four took place in the presence of a large number of party workers who came to attend the ‘karyakarta sammelan’ held at Mendal in the district.
BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh and vice presidents David Kharsati and Rikman G Momin welcomed the new entrants.
"We want to ensure the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to Meghalaya so that things can change for the better. Don’t believe in propaganda being spread about the party being anti-Christian or anti-Muslim. Our agenda of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ encompasses everyone and these lies will not last," Shibun Lyngdoh said addressing the sammelan.
Shibun also berated at the dynastic rule in both the Congress and the NPP stating that the BJP was the only party that had allowed for development of people based on their capability and not on family.
"For decades the Congress has ruled the state but where is the development. This time I will stand behind John Manner for the upcoming elections as he deserves the chance to be a part of the ruling coalition to effect development and we are certain the BJP will be leading the next government," Hitler said addressing the crowd.
Former Tura MLA, Billykid charged Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of neglecting development of Tura.