Shillong, Dec 9: Changing its earlier stand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hinted of exploring the possibility of forging a pre-poll alliance with other political parties and fights together the upcoming state Assembly elections to be held early in 2018.
“The scenario for a pre-poll alliance is emerging. How it will finally culminate, I cannot say right now. But we are having a discussion with some political parties,” BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav told media persons here on Saturday while reacting to a query whether the BJP would go alone and contest from all the 60 Assembly seats in Meghalaya.
Madhav however said that in the final situation, if the party does not have any alliance with any political party, then the party will contest from all the seats.
“We are preparing for both situations. We are talking to some political parties. If no alliance is going to happen, then we will be ready to contest in all the seats,” he said.
Whether the ongoing talks (for pre-poll alliance) also include the National People’s Party (NPP), which is an ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the centre, Madhav however said that he does not want to discuss anything on this as of now.
He also said that along with the partners, they will be in a position to form a stable government in the State.
To a recent claim made by the chief minister Mukul Sangma that the ruling Congress will come back with close to 40 seats in 2018, Madhav said that chief minister must have stated when he was ‘day dreaming’.
On the list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls, the BJP national general secretary informed that ticket to aspirants will be allotted after the visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi will visit poll-bound Meghalaya on December 16 and address a public meeting at Polo Ground here.
“We are hoping that a large number of good people will join the BJP. After the visit of the Prime Minister, we will start the process of identifying and clearing the names of candidates for different seats,” he said.
To a question if the party is looking for leaders with “clean image”, he claimed that so far, leaders that the party has been in touch with, do not have any kind of bad image.
About the joining of leaders from other parties, he said, “let them join first and then let us make a judgment.”
When asked about “good people” from other political parties joining the BJP, Madhav said that such people are those who want good change for the people of Meghalaya.
“Those (leaders) who are fed up with the corrupt and inept rule of the chief minister, Mukul Sangma, they did not have proper alternative before. Today, the BJP stands before them as the great hope for Meghalaya. So many are interested to come and support us,” he said.
With regards to corruption charges against the party’s minister in Assam, Madhav however said that charges can be framed against anyone. “Every charge will be investigated, and I am confident that none of our leaders involved in corruption.”.
Meanwhile, an Intellectual Meet was also organized by the BJP at Pinewood Hotel which was chaired by Madhav in the presence of general secretary (Organisation) North East, Ajay Jamwal, and BJP State President, Shibun Lyngdoh. More than 60 intellectuals took part in the meeting.
