The Meghalaya Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has claimed that it has been negotiating with four to five MLAs and the party is hopeful that those MLAs would join the saffron brigade ahead of the State Assembly elections in the State.
Earlier, four MLAs resigned as members of the State Assembly and joined the BJP. These MLAs include former Congress MLA AL Hek, former National Congress Party (NCP) legislator Sanbor Shullai and Independent MLAs Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon.
Talking to media persons here on Monday, Hek, who is the convener of the State Election Campaign Committee of the State BJP, said, “We are still in talks with four to five MLAs.”
Hek also said that the State BJP would try to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to campaign for party candidates in three major districts of the State, if it is not possible for all the 11 districts.
The ninth Meghalaya Assembly was constituted on March 7, 2013 and its term will expire on March 6, 2018.
The single-phase elections will be held for the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly next month.
“We will chalk out a programme for the State after the release of the candidates’ lists,” Hek said.
He further said that party leaders including Central ministers would campaign in Meghalaya for the upcoming Assembly polls.
The State BJP is yet to announce the lists of its candidates for the upcoming polls.
It may be mentioned that this year’s State Assembly elections in Meghalaya presents a unique challenge to all the parties which are gearing to contest the polls.
For the BJP, after the electoral victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya will be a litmus test for the saffron party to penetrate the Northeastern region.