SHILLONG, OCT 26: AICC leaders accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to penetrate the northeast by piggy riding on regional parties as they said the GHADC elections was an ‘eye-opener’.
It has also directed the party functionaries in the state to work together and ensure that the differences between the government and party are avoided.
“They (BJP) are trying to penetrate in the north east region through the regional political parties,” AICC general secretary in-charge Meghalaya V Narayanasamy told newsmen after a party meeting on Monday.
The Congress party suffered a major blow and failed to secure a majority in the just concluded elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) bagging only 7 seats out of the 29 it contested.
The elections also saw the Bharatiya Janata Party making inroads in the Garo hills region for the first time as it won one seat.
Stating that the GHADC elections is an ‘eye-opener’ for the Congress, Narayanasamy said, “It is an eye-opener for the Congress party and now we have to proactively work in all the polling stations of Meghalaya especially Tura, Garo hills and Jaintia hills.”
“We are expecting the party would perform well but unfortunately we were able to get only seven seats,” he said.
Claiming that there are several factors behind the recent defeat, the AICC leader said, “As per reports by the party functionaries, there is a threat from the undergrounds and the ngos had also call for a poll boycott.”
According to him, the voters’ turnout was not much even in Tura town itself and the Congress supporters and voters were threatened not to come to the polling booths despite police protection people did not take the risk.
“The underground distributed pamphlets and the boycott call are some of the reasons we could not form the executive committee there,” Narayanasamy said.
Meanwhile, the AICC general secretary informed he had made it very clear to all the MLAs and office bearers to work unitedly on the upcoming bye-elections for Nongstoin seat slated on November 21.
He said direction was also given to them to ensure that the party and the government are strengthened adding there should not be differences between the government and the party and they should all work together.-By Our Reporter
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