Meghalaya BJP upset with poll dates, claims ample time to major parties to influence voters

The Election Commission's announcement of the Meghalaya Assembly poll on February 27 has been welcomed by most political parties in the state, barring the BJP.  

Meghalaya BJP, however, discountenanced at the long time span between the announcement of the date and the holding of the election and said it will give "ample oppurtunity to major parties to influence voters". 

The EC has declared February 27 as the date of the poll and March 2 for counting. The notification for the elections will be issued on January 31. 

“We are upset that the election will be held almost a month and a half later. This will give ample opportunity to the ruling alliance parties to influence the voters," state BJP president Ernest Mawrie told the media. 

Also Read: Meghalaya: Ruling NPP stuns ally BJP, to go solo in upcoming assembly election

The BJP is prepared to contest the poll and so far candidates from over 40 seats have approached the party for tickets, Mawrie claimed. BJP is a part of the NPP-led ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance and has not entered any prepoll understanding with any political party. 

On the other hand, the National People’s Party (NPP) National Chief who is also the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma said that the Party will go solo in its fight for the upcoming 2023 Assembly Election. 

The NPP national president and chief minister Conrad K Sangma said his party will take a call on a post-poll alliance based on the election results.

“…we never have a pre-poll alliance; that's our principle that we always follow but, as I said, post-election, yes, we are always discussing with like-minded parties and that is the situation we will see when it comes,” he said.

When asked if the NPP will continue to work with the BJP, Sangma however said, “I'm not saying that we will or we will not but as the election results come, let us wait for that and let's see; election has not even been held… forget the results.”

On the BJP and other coalition partners attacking the NPP, Sangma said, “We are in the coalition, we have worked together but as the election approaches each political party has their own story to tell and each one will try to take a political mileage out of the situation.”

He said it is not surprising that the BJP and other political parties are competing with the NPP in many seats. “That's how politics is and (we) will be fighting in the election, so let's see how things happen,” he added.