The People’s Democratic Front (PDF) which is an ally of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government led by National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma on Thursday warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not to interfere in the core issues and principles of the party.
The PDF which has four MLAs also warned of withdrawing support from the MDA alliance if the BJP with just legislators tries to act big brother in the government.
This was made clear by Pynshngain N Syiem, chairman of the PDF, while addressing a programme to felicitate the electoral success of the party’s four legislators.
PDF’s Banteidor Lyngdoh has been given Agriculture, Horticulture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Sericulture & Weaving.
While the party’s another leader Hamletson Dohling has been allotted Urban Affairs including Municipal Administration and Information Technology.
Former Cabinet Minister AL Hek, who shifted his alliance to the BJP ahead of the Meghalaya Assembly polls 2018, has been allotted Health & Family Welfare, Information and Public Relations (IRR), Arts & Culture.
Allaying criticism and speculation that the PDF is a shadow of the BJP, Syiem said, “The party has won four seats and we have decided that we will extend support to the NPP but not the BJP.”
He further threatened that if the BJP interferes with the PDF’s core agenda related to safeguarding the rights of the indigenous people for which the party has been fighting all along, ‘we are ready to withdraw support to the MDA government’.
The PDF chief further appealed to all his party workers to pull up sleeves and work for the party for the upcoming council elections next year.
Syiem further added the party will set up a monitoring cell to follow up and find out the BJP’s alleged involvement in ‘anti-Christian activities’ in many parts of the State.
Urban Affairs Minister Hamletson Dohling also spoke in the same lines saying his party would not allow the BJP to interfere with the party’s internal matters.
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