BJP keeping watch on Congress in Meghalaya

Four days after its first-ever government in the Northeast took oath, the Bharatiya Janata Party is keeping a keen but circumspect watch on the political developments in Meghalaya where Congress chief minister Mukul Sangma is facing a dissident uprising. Having burnt its fingers in Uttarakhand, the BJP wants to be cautious.

Congress leaders and party workers in the state are demanding that chief minister Dr Sangma be replaced following the party’s dismal performance in the prestigious Tura parliamentary seat by-election. The seat was unsuccessfully contested by the chief minister’s wife Dikkanchi D. Shira. She lost to P.A. Sangma’s son Conrad Sangma by a margin of 1.92 lakh votes.

The loss of Tura is the latest in a long list of complaints against Dr Sangma. His style of functioning is seen by dissident Congr-essmen as being “dictatorial” and he has also been accused of nepotism.

The BJP, having faced criticism for destabilising the Congress-led governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, is not in the mood to get “directly involved” in the “Congress’ mess”. But the BJP leadership, upbeat after its stunning performance in Assam and having stitched together a North East Democratic Alliance, is monitoring the developments in Meghalaya with interest.

The buzz in Congress circle is that the leadership may go in for change in leadership after the hard lessons it learnt in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh, both of which were placed under President’s Rule for a brief period. Speculation is rife that if the Congress high command decides to go for leadership change in the state, Dr Sangma could join the saffron fold. Sources disclosed that another senior state Congress minister has been sending signals to the BJP, but the saffron party is yet to react.

Congress’ Shillong MP, Vincent Pala, is said to be the frontrunner if Dr Sangma is replaced.

Dr Sangma had met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi recently in Delhi to discuss the political situation in Meghalaya. State Congress chief D.D. Lapang and Mr Pala were also present at the meeting. The Congress leadership is expected to meet the state leaders again soon.