BJP to contest both LS seats in 2019

SHILLONG, MAY 30: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Meghalaya state is preparing to contest from both the seats – Shillong and Tura in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections even as it expressed that the NDA government at the Centre would come back to power in 2019.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, BJP leader Alexander L Hek said, “The party would contest in both the MP seats in the Lok Sabha elections to be held next year.”

Currently, the Shillong parliamentary seat is being represented by Congress MP Vincent H Pala, the Tura seat is by the National People’s Party (NPP) national president Conrad K Sangma.

Notably, the BJP is one of the coalition partners of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government in the state.

Asked, Hek who is also a cabinet minister in-charge of health department in the MDA government however said, “If the central leadership of the party decide otherwise, then we would have to go by its decision.”

Stating that no other political party can replace the BJP at the Centre, Hek said that the party will come back to power next year.

“It is going to be a BJP-led government at the Centre for another term and Narendra Modi will continue to be the prime minister of the country,” he said while claiming that the trend is going in favour of the BJP across the nation.

Referring to the claims made by the opposition Congress, the BJP leader however said the Congress which has only 40 MPs will not be able to form the next government even with the support of others.

Whether the frequent hike in petrol and diesel prices, which has angered the common man, will not affect the performance of the NDA government next year, Hek said that it is important for the people to see the positive side that the NDA government has done.

“See at the developments that have been taken place in the different states particularly in the North East region (which include air, rail and road connectivity) under the leadership of Modi,” he said.

Asserting the need to bring fuel products under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the minister however said that this aspect needs to be examined properly for the betterment of the state and the country as a whole.

By Our Reporter