Shillong, Sep 25: After eight UDP MLAs merged with the BJP, Congress chief Vincent H Pala accused the saffron party of “stealing the mandate” of tribal people and said the NPP will be its next target.
“Stealing the mandate. It is not the second largest party. There is no record that BJP has become the second largest party. They have stolen the mandate of honest people, of tribal people and by force they have taken it since they are in power. Real test will be in 2028,” Pala said.
“We in Congress condemn the way BJP has done it to their own friends, their own allies. Whether they will get the mandate of people or not, we are yet to see,” he said.
Pala said BJP has a history of backstabbing allies. “Not only in Meghalaya but be it in Odisha they have backstabbed their own friends, be it in Bihar, be it Shiv Sena. This is the ideology of BJP. People of Meghalaya should be aware,” he said.
Taking a dig at UDP, Pala said, “When BJP tried to steal MLAs from Congress, UDP was laughing at Congress. Today BJP is stealing MLAs of UDP, I think NPP will be laughing at UDP and next BJP will be stealing MLAs of NPP and that will be the last laugh. I am waiting for that last laugh and I am very sure very soon that last laugh will be there.
Calling BJP’s expansion, a “function plan to steal mandate”, Pala said that it is not a plan or a strategy, but a rubbish idea.
Asserting Congress will bounce back, Pala claimed, “BJP has got 36.7 per cent of total votes. Rest 63 per cent are against BJP. Now all other parties have collapsed. So only Congress and BJP in future. 63 per cent – there is no way, it is only through Congress.”
He said the changing political equations could lead to a contest between the Congress and BJP in the coming election and asserted that the Congress would enter the 2028 polls with full strength.
