AICC general secretary Luizinho Faleiro said political parties from the Northeast should fight together to protect the interests of the region which has now “lost everything” in the hands of the BJP.
“The Northeast has lost everything. Earlier, the Northeast used to get 80 to 90 per cent grant, and 10 per cent loan, but today, it is gone. Whatever money saved and utilised through the ministry of DoNER was for the North Eastern states in the past, but now, they (BJP) are not giving it to the region,” Faleiro told reporters on Friday after his meeting with Congress leaders in Meghalaya.
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Faleiro arrived in Meghalaya on Wednesday evening and held meetings Congress MLAs, besides functionaries of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee, Congress members in district councils, Youth Congress, Mahila and other frontal organizations.
The Congress general secretary, who is in-charge of Meghalaya and few other states in the Northeast, said the Congress would like to work together, be it with National People’s Party (NPP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Mizo National Front (MNF) or some other parties in the Northeast.
“We must come together for the interests of the Northeast and this message should go to all our friends in the Northeast,” Faleiro said.
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The Congress has lost power in all states in the Northeast and now the BJP is running the government in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Manipur.
The BJP is supporting the NPP-led government in Meghalaya, NDPP government in Nagaland.
Faliero said political parties in the Northeast should not be happy to be the ruling for a short time with the BJP.
“By supporting the BJP including the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA), you are helping the BJP to ruin the region and the country as a whole,” the AICC leader said.
He also commented against the BJP on the issue related to the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
“Look at the CAB, removal of special category status that was accorded to states in the Northeast, and the abolition of the planning commission which had in the past benefited the region and the country as a whole,” Faleiro said.
Faleiro said that his appeal to the political parties for working together was for protecting the interest of the Northeast and fight together to save the region.
To a query on Congress losing power in all states in the Northeast, Faleiro said that time would come when the people would realize the motives of the BJP.
“We have tried put best to enlighten the people on several issues be it losing jobs, collapse of the economy and other policies that affect the people,” the AICC leader said.
He, however, informed that the Congress is on the move to restructure the party organizations which will happen soon.
Asked about Congress MLAs in Meghalaya and change of leadership, he said that the MLAs are intact, adding that it is up to them to discuss (on leadership issue).
“Congress is a democracy and an evolving party. In my meeting with the MLAs and party leaders, nothing of that sort (change of leadership) has come,” Faleiro said.