Meghalaya Congress to support ruling NPP minus BJP, says state party chief

After supporting the governing National People's Party in a tribal council, Congress MP Vincent H Pala claimed the party is willing to assist the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance administration without the BJP. 

Pala, who is also the chairman of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), stated that his party's 5 MLAs would be overjoyed if they could persuade the NPP (with 28 MLAs) in the House of 60 to break relations with the BJP (with 2 MLAs). 

“We will be very happy if we can convince the NPP to sever ties with the BJP. Minus the saffron party, we are ready to support and work together with the NPP in the state,” Pala told the media on June 23.

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“The Congress members of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council got the approval of the party before extending support to the NPP,” he said. 

The Congress, with 5 MDCs, had backed the NPP in overthrowing the executive committee of the KHADC led by the United Democratic Party (UDP). 

“We are ready to work with anybody except the BJP,” he said. 

Reacting to this, BJP spokesperson M Kharkrang said this was nothing but a publicity stunt. “This is reflective of the fear the Congress has against the BJP's transparent and zero tolerance towards corruption,” he said. 

Kharkrang said that the BJP is a strong and consistent partner of the MDA 2.0 coalition and that the BJP is an ally in the government, ensuring that benefits from central initiatives reach the recipients.