Guwahati: In a significant political development, more than seven legislators from the ruling alliance and Opposition in Meghalaya have sought an audience with the BJP’s national president, Amit Shah, during his visit to the state next month.
Though the BJP is trying to downplay the development by describing it as a “courtesy call”, the appointment request has sparked speculation in political circles of the frontier state schedule to go for Assembly elections in 2018.
Observers say that there may be a repeat of what happened in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Hours before Mr Shah landed in Lucknow, two Samajwadi Party MLCs quit the party to join the BJP.
Meghalaya BJP president Shibun Lyngdoh told this newspaper, “At least seven legislators from the Congress, United Democratic Party and National People’s Party have approached me for an audience with our national president… This is a request for a courtesy call. They just want to meet our party president.”
While admitting that several MLAs are inclined to join the BJP in the Christian-dominated state, Mr Lyngdoh said that it would be too early to say whether these seven legislators want to join BJP.
The BJP doesn’t have any representative in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly, although the party had succeeded in opening its account in previous Assembly elections.
The growth of the saffron party in northeastern states has resulted in constant chatter in Meghalaya about a large number of Congress leaders deserting the party. Fearing an anti-incumbency setback in the forthcoming Assembly elections, many Congress leaders are also said to be looking for tickets from regional political parties.
Political observers say that Meghalaya has been a strong Congress bastion, but chief minister Mukul Sangma has failed to keep the morale of party workers high.
There has also been speculation in local newspapers about Mr Sangma, who has been winning elections from Ampati in Garo Hills, searching for another constituency. This has contributed to the general nervousness in the ruling party.
Meanwhile, the BJP is downplaying Mr Shah’s visit to Meghalaya, saying he is visiting all the states in the country to understand the ground situation.
The BJP president was scheduled to visit Meghalaya on July 12, but had to postpone it due to other engagements. His visit has been rescheduled for August, though the exact date is yet to be fixed.
The Congress is the strongest party in the current Assembly with 30 MLAs. The United Democratic Party (UDP) has eight MLAs, Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSDP) has four, National People’s Party (NPP) and Nationalist Congress Party have two MLAs each.
The North East Social Democratic Party is led by lone MLA Lamboklang Mylliem, and Independents have 13 seats. The UDP, HSPDP and NPP are in Opposition.
