Shillong, Oct 3: Moonlight Pariat, former Chief Executive Member and sitting MDC from Jowai South in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), joined the BJP on Saturday.
Pariat, who has won six terms as MDC, is also an Executive Member in the current Executive Committee of the Council led by the National People’s Party (NPP) and holds charge of various departments.
He and his supporters were welcomed by BJP Meghalaya president Rikman G Momin, Cabinet Minister and MLA Sanbor Shullai and MLA A L Hek. Former MLAs Mohendro Rapsang and Dr Jemino Mawthoh were also present.
Speaking at his induction, Pariat said he joined the BJP as the party “can do miracles” and that his intention is to push for amendment of Paragraph 12A of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
He said Paragraph 12A covers the Autonomous District Councils in the state and is the reason why laws made by the ADCs fail before laws of the government.
He also expressed surprised that coal mining is banned in Meghalaya but in Assam it is legal when both states share the Kupli river.
Pariat said that by joining the BJP he will ensure that coal mining in the state is once again allowed for the people of Meghalaya.
With his joining, the BJP now has representation in the JHADC.
Pariat’s induction is the latest among major joinings in the saffron party. Last month, eight of the 12 United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators joined the BJP in the presence of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Earlier, former legislator and former UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh had also joined the BJP.
