BJP laments over resignation of Lapang, Mizoram Home Minister, says Congress rule in NE is over

Shillong Sept 15: The BJP Saturday claimed that Congress rule in the North East is over soon, while hoping that Mizoram will also join the development agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.”

The saffron party also lamented at the resignation of two Congress leaders, former Meghalaya Chief Minister D. D. Lapang and Mizoram Home Minister, R. Lalzirliana

BJP national spokesperson, Nalin Kohli who is also in-charge of Meghalaya told reporters on the sidelines of the BJP Meghalaya state executive meeting that in six states in the North East, there are coalition governments in which, the BJP is the member.

“Sikkim is part of the NDA fold. In any case, the North East has moved away from the Congress and the indications of Mizoram are certainly not healthy for the Congress party. The resignation of Mizoram Home Minister is a big development. The minister of a state leaves his party cannot be taken lightly. Congress is the ruling for a while there. Looking at the trend of the rest of the North Eastern states where six out of seven states, the BJP has participated in the government, it is not good news for the Congress by any standards. But if the Congress sees it as a good news, it is upto them.”

Asked if the Congress would be wiped out in the North East, the BJP leader expressed hope that

Mizoram would also join the national mainstream in terms of the agenda of the Prime Minister Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas and also for the other six states that have joined to bring development to the North East.

“Development is our agenda. In the six states we have gone to the people with that agenda, and in Mizoram, we will go with the same,” he said.

The BJP is leading a coalition government in Assam, Manipur, Tripura besides Arunachal Pradesh. However the BJP is part of the government led by other parties in Meghalaya and Nagaland.

On the resignation of veteran Congress leader, D.D. Lapang, Kohli termed Lapang a respected political fatherly figure.

“He is one of the most important Congress leaders in Meghalaya on whose shoulders among others, the party really came into being where it is. I have seen his resignation letter in the media, it has been written elegantly reflecting his point of view. It would be something that the Congress party would need to explain with regards to why he had left the party, or he himself will be able to say so. But certainly, given his stature, it would be a loss to the Congress,” Kohli said.

Asked if Lapang be invited to join the BJP, Kohli said that he did not know Lapang personally and has not met him.

“People like him who wished to serve the people of Meghalaya which he has expressed his desire in his letter, I am sure he would move in the path of serving the people. With regards to the BJP, I have not met him, nor received any message in any sense. But for a gentleman of his stature, we always wish him well. The BJP’s principle has been sabka sath sabka vikas, so we welcome anyone who wants to join the national mainstream with regards to building a nation and working for India and Indians’ benefit. But again it would be unfair to speak in that sense.,” he said.

Kohli also admitted that it was a blow to the Congress as Lapang was one of the strong founding members of the Congress in the state which the Congress must be realizing itself.

“Parting his ways after such a long journey is a blow to them (Congress),” he said.

Whether he foresee exodus of Congress leaders in Meghalaya after Lapang’s resignation, Kohli said, “I am not in touch with the Congress party in any way. So I would not know.”

To a question if Lapang be accommodated as Governor, the BJP leader asked, “how can we speak on those lines? Atleast in my level, I have never met him. I am aware of Lapang and his contributions, and he enjoys that respect. But I cannot really speak anything on this because when I am not in touch with him or he was not in touch with me, then it is unfair to him and to me to make any comment. Whether he is in touch with anybody else, I cannot say because I am not party to that.”