Shillong : A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Shillong and launched BJP’s much-determined campaign journey in Meghalaya with a whooping Rs 2450 crore package, many in Shillong town say the half the perception battle is won.
“It may be too early but the BJP journey has commenced in Meghalaya where it did not do well in 2018, but this time, the jump will be quantum from two to around 15-20 seats at least,” an enthusiastic BJP booth worker Rynjah Peter said, in busy cash-rich Police Bazar area of Meghalaya capital Shillong.
The BJP ticket aspirants are also interested and got a bolster to strategise their moves.
M Kharkrang, BJP ticket aspirant from North Shillong — which houses a substantial Bengali Hindu population and other non-locals, says — “I have come to the conclusion that among all states ruled by BJP, they have shown immense development. That was something underlined by the Prime Minister’s visit on Sunday”.
To a question, he sounded a bit caustic against ally NPP led by Conrad Sangma, and he said — “Look, one thing is clear various developmental schemes that have been given by the central government have not reached the beneficiaries. So this is also one of the issues we will highlight. ”
He further said the NPP chiefly caused the failure as they ran the government, and BJP only had two legislators in the 60-member assembly.
“I do remember and you should also take note, when A L Hek of BJP was in the Cabinet he had objected to certain issues but all those were overruled,” Mr Kharkrang said.
Answering a question, he asserted the corruption charge against the NPP and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma “will not impact BJP poll prospects simply because people know we are just a minor partner in the government and all powers were with NPP and their leadership”.
Mr Kharkrang, a retired IPS and state BJP spokesman, said the central issue in Meghalaya is that the “young people are not getting employment….and whatever employment is coming at private sector levels, it’s all underemployment or vanishing of gainful employment. Qualified engineers are getting private sector jobs of Rs 5000 salary..The answer to this crisis is a BJP-led government in Meghalaya”.
The state government jobs have reached saturation, and industries have yet to come.
He said, “Meghalaya has not been able to encourage private investment and this is because we do not have right infrastructure. Hence Prime Minister’s visit and announcement of development journey is unique and much necessary for the state of Meghalaya”.
He directed his anguish towards NPP and Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, “now something is being inaugurated every day…I say he should have inaugurated at the beginning of the tenure, and now these would have seen the light of the day”.
