Meghalaya: Congress rush to rope in star campaigners to take on Modi, Shah’s might in state

With the poll tempo rising in the state, many star campaigners from the Centre are arriving to the three poll-bound states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, to boost the ongoing poll campaigning.

A desperate Congress is airdropping Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Shahi Tharoor to bolster its prospects ahead of the February 27 elections in the state, in an effort to counter the might of the BJP, which is bringing in as many as 20 heavyweights, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Meghalaya to give the saffron party's poll campaign teeth.

Vincent H. Pala, MP and president of the Meghalaya Congress, revealed his party's strategy to challenge the power of the BJP at a time when his party's election initiatives have been lackluster so far.

Shashi Tharoor, Rahul Gandhi, and even Priyanka Gandhi will be prominent Congress campaigners. The names are being finalized. Additionally, up to twenty others from Meghalaya will be added, Pala stated.

He specifically questioned PM Modi's upcoming state visit, pointing out how much it would cost. When the Centre pays for their travel, how can a Prime Minister or Home Minister visit Meghalaya as a prominent campaigner? Come and lay the groundwork for projects that will benefit the hill state's residents, Pala added.

Pala also mocked the central leaders of the BJP for traveling to the state as prominent campaigners. Even after nine years of BJP rule at the Centre, the people of Meghalaya have received nothing of note. He stated, "It would be beneficial for the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to visit Shillong and inaugurate schemes and projects, but they should refrain from making political remarks because the central government is paying for their visits here."

Modi, Pala claimed, "had campaigned in the Garo Hills (in earlier years) because they can bring crowds from Assam," was the target of much of his attack. He claimed that similar rallies were avoided by the BJP in locations far from Assam.

Additionally, Pala alleged that Christians are at "the receiving end" in BJP-ruled states. Christians are the ones who suffer in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Everywhere the BJP has gone, Christians have been hit hard. Over 75% of Meghalaya's Christian population does not have faith in the BJP, according to Pala.
Additionally, he stated that the Congress would publish its election manifesto by February 9 or 10.

In the meantime, on February 7, the Congress attempted to show its strength by organizing a rally with a large number of supporters.

The party, which was once a formidable force in Meghalaya, has lost momentum elsewhere and in Meghalaya.
Many people think that the old party is making a statement about its presence in the state at the rally to its critics.

According to observers, the rally on February 7 was the largest in terms of size in the previous four and a half years. They claim that the display of power also conveyed a message to the leaders who have left the party.

Also read : Meghalaya BJP vice president Bernard Marak files nomination from South Tura constituency