The National People’s Party (NPP) does have a good relationship with the central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but is also always striving to maintain a positive atmosphere with the state BJP, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said today.
His comments come a day after Deputy Speaker and NPP member Timothy D Shira said that the NPP has only tolerated the brickbats from the state BJP because of its good relations with the Centre.
“We have always got a positive response from them (New Delhi) when it comes to issues concerning the state, especially development agendas, and we are working closely with them,” Sangma told reporters.
The state BJP has been one of the most critical parties of the state government and sharp words are often exchanged by the BJP Meghalaya president Ernest Mawrie and vice-president Bernard Marak and those from the NPP camp.
“There are always complications in a coalition and it can never be simple and easy,” the CM said diplomatically. “What is important at the end of the day is to sit together and resolve issues. The problem arises when we can’t sit together and can’t resolve them.”
He maintained that the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance coalition, no matter what difficulties it has faced, saw a lot of maturity from different leaders and political parties to come together and find a solution.
There may be issues here and there with local party workers and leaders but that should not disturb the larger picture, he added.
From Sangma’s point of view, the NPP is not tolerating the state BJP but working together and ironing out issues and resolving the concerns that exist.
Meanwhile, regarding the various allegations made by the opposition Trinamool Congress on illegal mining and transportation of coal, Sangma said, “Whenever we have found incidents of illegal activities, action has been taken and wherever we have tried to move forward with things it has been with proper documentation and abiding by all the formalities and legalities.”
