The BJP has decided to support the NPP in Meghalaya by not fielding its candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha election from both Shillong and Tura parliamentary seats.
This was informed by BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra today in his post on X. He also said that the BJP would support NPF in the Outer Manipur Constituency and NDPP in Nagaland.
“As per the instructions of the Hon’ble National President of@BJP4India, Shri @JPNadda ji, I am pleased to inform that BJP will extend its support to Lok Sabha Candidates of NPP in both the seats of Meghalaya (Shillong and Tura), to NPF in the Outer Manipur Constituency and to NDPP in Nagaland in the ensuing Parliamentary elections 2024,” Patra said in the post on the microblogging platform.
The announcement by the saffron party not to contest the Lok Sabha polls in Meghalaya has come as a shock to those who have applied for BJP tickets for both the parliamentary seats in the State. It also came as a boost to NPP candidates – Ampareen Lyngdoh and Agatha Sangma who are contesting from Shillong and Tura seats respectively.
The BJP ticket aspirants for Shillong seat include cabinet minister Alexander L. Hek, former State party president Ernest Mawrie, Fenela Lyngdoh Nonglait, State BJYM president Mewaker Lyngdoh and BJP National Executive member Sumitra Laloo.
The ticket aspirants for Tura seat include sitting Tura MDC Bernard N. Marak, former MLAs – Winnerson D. Sangma and K C Boro, former MDC Boston Marak, Riya Sangma and Thomas Marak.
Recently, BJP MLA from South Shillong Sanbor Shullai has openly backed the candidature of Fenela Lyngdoh Nonglait from the Shillong seat. He has also appealed to the other ticket contenders to support her.
However, the decision by the central leadership of the BJP not to put up candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Meghalaya appeared to show that the party wanted to reciprocate the recent decision by the NPP to back the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh.
The BJP had unsuccessfully contested the two seats in Meghalaya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
