Meghalaya: Ahead of the next year's assembly polls in Meghalaya, at least four sitting MLAs switched sides to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. Out of the four MLAs, two belong to the ruling National People's Party (NPP), one from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and one is an independent leader.
According to reports, the development comes as the saffron party is looking to expand its footprint in the northeastern region ahead of the forthcoming assembly polls in 2023.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is BJP's head of the region, claimed that the addition of the four "experienced and respected" politicians will herald a "new beginning" for the party in the state, where it could win only two seats out of the 60 seats in the 2018 elections.
BJP aims to become a dominant force in Meghalaya
Though the state's ruling NPP has been a member of the BJP-led National Democratic Party, the relations between the two parties have hardly been smooth. The BJP's decision to induct two of its MLAs, Benedic Marak and Ferlin Sangma, into its fold shows how serious the party is about containing the NPP and becoming a dominant force in the state before the next year's elections.
The two other MLAs who joined the BJP are Samuel M Sangma, an independent, and Himalaya Muktan Shangpliang, who is from the Trinamool Congress. Speaking to reporters, Assam chief minister claimed that the northeast has undergone tremendous change since 2014 under the Modi government and every sector has progressed.
"The north-east has been mainstreamed completely and three BJP state governments (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur) have been re-elected to power, highlighting the party's address has become permanent in the region," he added. Sarma also stoked optimism that the BJP will register "spectacular wins" in the upcoming polls in Tripura Nagaland and Meghalaya.
All four Meghalaya MLAs meet Nadda
Later, all four MLAs with BJP national president JP Nadda, who welcomed them into the party fold. "I welcome Shri Ferlin Sangma, Samuel Sangma, Benedic Marak and HM Shangpliang into the @BJP4India. I am sure all of you are blessed with immense capabilities that will greatly benefit our party & help us to fulfil Modi Ji's mission of 'Antyodaya'. My best wishes to you all (sic)," Nadda tweeted.
(With inputs from PTI)
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