The Meghalaya unit President of the BJP, Ernest Mawrie, stated today that his attacks on the State government and allied political parties over corruption will continue as he has been given the go-ahead to do so by the party’s central leadership.
“If there is any corruption issue, I will have to highlight the matter,” Mawrie said, adding that an investigating team from the Centre will visit the State to follow up on the corruption charges leveled by the BJP and others in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
Meanwhile, the general secretary of the BJP, and party in-charge of Meghalaya, Chuba Ao, met the saffron outfit’s local office bearers to discuss the differences that have emerged between the pro and anti-Mawrie camps. His other aim was to discuss the selection of candidates for April’s GHADC elections.
“I have come (to Shillong) seeing the reports that there were some problems with the (party) president. So today we agreed to disagree. This matter is over and now we have to strengthen the party,” Ao said.
In contrast to the confrontational approach that Mawrie and his supporters have taken when making corruption allegations either against the government or against parties allied to the BJP in the State, Ao said that members of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) should sit down together to discuss such charges.
“Our two MLAs are partners in the MDA coalition and they will raise these issues when the time comes,” Ao added.
The two BJP MLAs, A L Hek and Sanbor Shullai, have often been at loggerheads with Mawrie over the corruption claims, with Shullai lately describing the party president as a dictator. He had even said that Mawrie had been elected to the post through manipulation.
Shullai had also said that the issue of corruption in Meghalaya may also be a ploy to sabotage the MDA government.
On the issue of differences in the state unit of the BJP, Ao took the blame upon himself for letting the matter reach the extent to which it has.
“It is my duty to come a little earlier and settle things. I am the leader and I take responsibility,” he said.
