There was continued opprobrium from the BJP’s allies in the state today over the recent comment by the party’s vice-president and official in charge of Meghalaya, M Chuba Ao, who said that state political parties constantly travel to New Delhi with a begging bowl.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong labelled such a comment as “nonsense” and “illogical”.
“I think Mr Ao is too young in politics. I think he needs training because a person of his stature, to talk that way, I think it’s nonsense and illogical,” Tynsong said.
However, the Deputy CM did not attack the BJP specifically for the comment, which has left an unpleasant taste in the mouths of the saffron outfit’s local allies in government.
“Maybe it is his (Ao’s) own opinion. When he said that, I think he forgot that he is a leader of the BJP. All governments go to Delhi to push for funds to be sanctioned. Money does not just come down from heaven to the Secretariat. We constantly need to discuss, negotiate and follow up with the central government,” Tynsong said.
Meanwhile, senior United Democratic Party leader Bindo Lanong had some choice words to describe Ao and his comment.
Speaking to this reporter, Lanong said, “It seems Ao is ignorant of the law. Where does Ao go? Does he go to China, Bangladesh or elsewhere? We are part and parcel of this country and it’s spelled out very clearly in the Constitution of India that the Centre and the states have their relationships in terms of everything, including financial support, and the Centre has to see that no part of the country is left out in terms of support.”
Ao is from Nagaland and headed the BJP in that state before being promoted within the party ranks.
Sarcastically, Lanong wondered from which country Nagaland gets its funding from or whether the state is self-sufficient.
