MUKUL SANGMA’S NPP-BJP NEXUS JIBE CREATES UPROAR IN MEGHALAYA ASSEMBLY

Former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma’s comments on the nexus between National People’s Party(NPP) and Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) created uproar in the Assembly before the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance moved the confidence motion on Monday. According to Sangma, NPP got the mandate of people after the party conveyed to voters that it had no understanding with BJP, “but the fact is that BJP is part and parcel of the government”. “Hence I wanted to know which party is leading the government, whether it is BJP led or NPP led or is it the conglomeration of BJP and other parties,” Sangma said. He added that the statement of an Assam BJP minister that the saffron party stitched up an alliance with NPP within 10 minutes indicated the nexus between the two parties.

The former chief minister pointed out that during the swearing-in

ceremony in Raj Bhavan, saffron colour was all over. Though Home Minister James Sangma and BJP member Sanbor Shullai stood up to clarify, Speaker Donkupar Roy adopted a cautious approach and prevented them from further discussing the issue. In his response, the Speaker said the confidence motion was moved by the government and to talk about the mandate, the Assembly is not the right place. The Speaker, however, asked Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to clarify as to who is heading the MDA government. To this, Conrad said since it was a vote of confidence moved by the government, there was no scope for any debate and asserted that MDA was led by NPP, while other parties had extended letters of support. Health Minister AL Hek also asserted that BJP was very much part of the government. The Speaker said though the members were free to raise various issues, the legislators should not rake up issues which hurt the sentiments of people.