While Meghalaya is Congress’s one of the last surviving bastions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in the northeastern state on December 16 to kick-start BJP’s campaign for the upcoming assembly election.
Shibun Lyngdoh, president of Meghalaya State BJP informed Modi will kick-start the campaign with a political rally at the Polo Ground in Shillong on December 16. At present, the BJP has no MLAs in the 60-member house.
“Modiji’s presence in Shillong will give the confidence to the electorates to choose the right BJP candidates,” Lyngdoh said, adding that the party is confident to win 40 seats in the assembly election, which is likely to be held in February.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to inaugurate the new BJP office in Shillong. Earlier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh was scheduled to inaugurate the office building on December 7. However, because of some other commitment, Singh could not reach Shillong on Thursday.
During the last one year, BJP has been eyeing to electorally capture Meghalaya because it would be comparatively easier than Tripura. The BJP has already mounted tremendous pressure on the incumbent government led by Mukul Sangma of the Congress.
The Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government has been in power for two consecutive terms, and a strong anti-incumbency factor is acting against it.
Earlier, the saffron party was caught on the wrong foot in Meghalaya following Centre’s restrictions on cattle slaughter. Some of the senior BJP members in the state had resigned as the party was being portrayed as “anti-Christian” in the tribal state.
