Shillong, Aug 8: The BJP on Tuesday hinted that it may go for either pre-poll or post-poll alliance, while making it clear that it would continue to work for strengthening its base till an alliance is formed.
BJP national spokesperson Nahlin Kohi, while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting chaired by BJP national general secretary (organization), Ram Lal, who is on a three-day visit, said, “an alliance can be pre-poll or post-poll, but till an alliance is there, every party will work for strengthening its own base.”
Kohli also cited an instance of Assam, where the alliance between the BJP and other parties took place very close to the Assam Assembly election in 2016.
“What will happen in the future I cannot say, but it will not stop the BJP from identifying who we think are good (political parties),” he said.
Commenting on the recent cabinet reshuffle undertaken by chief minister Mukul Sangma, the BJP leader said that such an exercise done with just few months away from the elections was an indication that “things are shaky within the ruling Congress family.”
He also denied that two Congress ministers who were dropped from the cabinet – Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar – had met him, though he claimed that he met many sitting legislators on several occasions, adding that they are still in touch with the party.
Meanwhile, Kohli said that his party was in a final stage of assessing seats for the 2018 Assembly elections and expressed confidence that a non-Congress government would be formed in Meghalaya.
“We are in the final stage of assessing the seats and our preparedness for those seats in terms of candidates, booths, what do we foresee, and how do we rate the seats. It will be over by August end,” Kohli said.
Stating that the BJP is assessing all the 60 seats in totality, Kohli said that based on the assessment, a plan will be launched in September with regards to activities of the party towards the election.
Reacting to a query, Kohli said that winnability will be the “benchmark” for allotment of party ticket to the candidates for the upcoming elections.
“Elections are fought to win not to lose, and in elections, everyone’s contribution is important – the organization, the candidate and the voters,” he said.
He said that the visit of Ram Lal, who wished to distance himself from the media, is purely for organizational works to further strengthen the party ahead of the elections.
Claiming that his party’s preparation for the poll is far better now, Kohli said that writing on the walls indicated that Meghalaya will have a non-Congress government after the elections.
“A non-Congress government is certain as of today when we assess the situation. Now the only question is, who is going to be inducted in the non-Congress government and how many seats those parties will have,” he said while stating that the Congress is not going to win a third term.
He also alleged that this is because of the fact that the state government has live up to the reputation of the Congress party’s strategy which is “no development, only politics, though people want development not politics.”
