GUWAHATI: Blame it on the BJP that the Congress in Meghalaya is faced with growing dissidence ahead of Assembly elections, due in three months’ time.
Speculations are rife that at least seven of the 30 MLAs of ruling Congress, which heads the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA), will quit the party any day from now on and defect to the BJP and PA Sangma-founded National People’s Party (NPP). NPP is a BJP ally.
Two days ago, the state’s Power Minister, Comingone Ymbon of the Congress, had resigned. His resignation came days after two Independent MLAs, Robinus Syngkon and Rophul S Marak, had withdrawn their support to the ruling alliance.
Presently, the MUA has the strength of 44 MLAs in the 60-member House – 30 from the Congress, two from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), one from the Northeast Social Democratic Party (NESDP) and 11 Independents.
One of the two Independent MLAs, who has withdrawn support to MUA, said at least a dozen Congress and Independent MLAs would desert the alliance by way of resignation and shifting of allegiance to other parties.
“The Assembly session is beginning on December 8. You will see the changes taking place till the session continues. There are so many of them willing to resign from the Congress. Then, there are some who will withdraw their support to the alliance and be with other parties,” he told The New Indian Express on the condition of anonymity.
He said he would join the BJP. “We (MLAs wanting to join the BJP) will soon sit together and take a call as to when we should wear saffron. We want to contest as BJP candidates,” he added.
Breaching the unity of ruling party or alliance has virtually become game for the BJP, which dreams of a “Congress-mukt” Northeast. It happened in Assam and it happened in Manipur too, both currently ruled by the party.
Ahead of last year’s Assam elections, the defection of several Congress MLAs, including its master election strategist Himanta Biswa Sarma, to the BJP had cost the party dear. Sarma played a key role in dislodging the Tarun Gogoi led Congress government, thereby opening the gateway to the Northeast for the BJP.
It was the same saga in Manipur where the BJP had grabbed power earlier this year through political manoeuvring. The Congress was weakened after incumbent Chief Minister N Biren Singh had deserted the party and worn saffron.
The BJP has now set its sights on Meghalaya and Tripura, also going to polls. The party is better off in Tripura compared to Christian-majority Meghalaya where it is only trying to grow.