State BJP president Ernest Mawrie today accused former Mawsynram MLA Himalaya M. Shangpliang of indulging in nepotism.
Mawrie made the allegations hours after Shangpliang resigned from the BJP. In his resignation letter, Shangpliang accused Mawrie of ‘nepotism’ which, according to him, hindered the growth of the party.
However, speaking to media persons, Mawrie said that Shangpliang himself is a classic example of nepotism.
“As per my understanding and the meaning in the dictionary of nepotism means I’m favouring my own relatives or people close to me. But if you check the list of BJP office bearers in Meghalaya there is no other Mawrie apart from me. However in Mawsynram, based on Shangpliang’s request we appointed his brother as the president of Mawsynram Mandal. So that is a case of nepotism by him,” Mawrie said.
“Being a former bureaucrat, before you give any statement you should go through thoroughly,” Mawrie added.
The State BJP president said that Shangpliang wanted to be the party candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Shillong seat.
“He met me and said that he would like to contest the Lok Sabha election. I told him that when the time comes I will recommend your name. He then requested me to convene a meeting of all MDA coalition partners and convince them to support the common candidate from the BJP. I immediately told him it was not possible since that is only decided by the central leaders and not by me,” Mawrie said.
On Shangpliang’s allegations that there is an internal conflict in the State BJP, Mawrie clarified that there was no such conflict in the party and that all party leaders work as a team under the direction of central leadership.
“As a president I cannot make any decisions alone. It’s only through the circular issued by the central office,” he added.
Mawrie said that he was the one who took Shangpliang to Delhi and introduced him to the senior party leaders after he joined the BJP in late 2022 before the Assembly elections in 2022.
According to Mawrie, despite being new in the party, the BJP had appointed Shangpliang as one the spokespersons of the party.
