Chief Minister and President of the National People’s Party (NPP) Conrad K Sangma today backed Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and said that coalition partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could walk out of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) if it is unhappy about the way the government, of which it is part, is being run.
Sangma said that as Chairman of the MDA, it is his responsibility to keep the coalition partners together and make himself available to hear their concerns and work towards solutions.
“As Chairman of the MDA I am very much willing to discuss all matters but one must act in a responsible manner,” he said in a dig at the BJP, which has not shied away from going to the press every time it has a grievance with the government with regards to its policies or alleged corruption in the Garo and Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Councils (GHADC and JHADC).
Sangma backed Tynsong and maintained that if the BJP was “not happy” it could leave the coalition. He also said that the manner in which some of the BJP’s state leaders are behaving is uncalled for.
“We respect the sentiments of our coalition partners and there is no question of thinking that we are in a better position and somebody else is not,” Sangma said.
