SHILLONG, April 21 - Taking the battle to Congress� bastion in Meghalaya, North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener and BJP leader, Himanta Biswa Sarmah today said that the BJP is battle-ready for the 2018 Assembly elections in the State.
After holding a meeting with BJP workers and leaders here, Sharmah said, the BJP would contest all the 60 seats and expressed confidence of wining at least 30 seats and forming the Government on its own.
�We are ready to face the Assembly battle in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. We are working in all these States. We are going to people�s doorstep,� Sharmah said.
He said that the party workers are taking the issue of development before the people. �Meghalaya will see a BJP Government,� he claimed.
Attacking the Congress, he said the party is responsible for the underdevelopment in the State and also corruption. �We would be bringing out a charge-sheeet against the Congress Government together with our vision document,� he said.
Holding Chief Minister Mukul Sangma responsible for the State�s underdevelopment, he asked: �Where is Dr Sangma performing? Where is the development in Meghalaya? In last five years which University has the Government established? We have not seen anything.�
Stating that the State Government has not been able to establish even a single Medical College in Meghalaya so far, Sharmah said nobody in the State Government is concerned about people's �livelihood, expansion of educational and health infrastructure.�
He further took a dig at Sangma and said: �forget about forming the Government, I want him (Sangma) and his brother (Zenith Sangma) to lose. We will see that Mukul Sangma doesn�t become even an MLA.�
On BJP�s image in the State, Sharmah said, that �it is unfortunate� that a notion is being spread that in a Christian-dominated State BJP cannot function. �BJP is committed to all religion and will work for development, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. We will promote religious tolerance,� he added.
Touching on the subject of cow slaughter and beef consumption, he said, consumption of beef has not stopped in Assam, despite the BJP coming to power. �Party�s position is to maintain cultural diversity,� Sharmah said.
Like in Assam, he said, local languages such as Khasi, Garo and Jaintia should be made compulsory in schools and even in CBSE Schools, adding, the BJP Government would not impose Hindi on the people and would remain a matter of choice.
On taking disgruntled Congress MLAs into its fold, he said, that several Congress leaders were in touch with him and they are �sad� with the party�s affairs. However, the BJP would induct only those who subscribe to the ideology of BJP.
