Shillong, Feb 03 : The ruling Congress party on Saturday dared the National People’s Party (NPP) to first sever ties with NDA government to prove to the electorates of Meghalaya that the NPP is not the “proxy party” of the BJP.

“No matter how hard the NPP try to explain their position but they (NPP) cannot deny that they are an alliance partner of the BJP at the Centre, Manipur and Rajasthan, “ Meghalaya Urban Affairs minister, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh told journalists.

Lyngdoh was referring to NPP President Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi statement of the possibility of having a post-poll alliance with the Congress after the February 27 assembly polls.

“The Congress here is our opponent. When the need arises we don’t rule out in future. But we are not working with anybody here because we are sure that this time we are getting an absolute majority and we are sure that we don’t have to work with anyone,” Kharlukhi told journalists.

However, the Congress leader termed NPP’s statement was to “fool” the people of Meghalaya.

“They are trying very hard to convey to the people of Meghalaya by saying that the NPP is fighting the BJP in the state. But the people of Meghalaya are intelligent and cannot be fooled by such false claims,” Lyngdoh said.

“If they are so serious, why don’t they sever ties with the BJP-led NDA and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) instead of going overboard projecting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the next Prime Minister after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” he asked.

Substantiating their claims that “NPP is part of the BJP”, Urban Affairs Minister said, “It is known to everybody that before BJP finally decided its candidates that they had called NPP leaders from Jaiñtia and Garo Hills to Guwahati and jointly got into an exercise on how to field and where to field candidates.”

Alleging that BJP shifted a “weak candidate” like Banteilang Rumnong from Sohra assembly constituency to Pynursla assembly constituency to help the NPP candidate Prestone Tynsong win, Lyngdoh said, “This is a deal to work together with NPP to help Prestone Tynsong win in his constituency.”

Targeting the BJP for not being able to field candidates in all the 60 assembly constituencies, Lyngdoh said “The BJP is claiming that it will get majority. But the fact is that it could not even announce its full list of candidates.”
On Friday, the BJP which is confident to unseat the Congress out of power had announced the list of 45 candidates and is expected to release the second list before last date of nomination papers on February 7.
When pointed out to the fact that, even the Congress has not been able to announce its list of candidates in all the 60 seats, Urban Affairs minister said, “We are not like the BJP to pick up any Tom/Dick or Harry. Legislators are meant to legislate laws. They are not meant to do business. They should in fact debate in the House.”
He also pointed out to the fact that this time the Congress has not given tickets to businessmen or contractors but preferred professionals.
“Legislators are meant to legislate laws. They are not meant to do business. They should in fact debate in the House,” Lyngdoh said.