SHILLONG, April 8 - The National People�s Party-led alliance in Meghalaya is keeping cards close to its chest by maintaining a measured distance from the BJP during this election season.
The alliance of the NPP includes parties like the United Democratic Party, People�s Democratic Front, Hill State People�s Democratic Party, Independents and even a Nationalist Congress Party member.
The alliance has put up common candidates for the Shillong (Jemino Mawthoh) and Tura (Agatha Sangma) seats and so they are keeping this well-maintained distance from the BJP to blunt the Congress� attack that the NPP and others are just the B-team of the BJP.
Former CM and now the chief adviser to the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) Government, DD Lapang refused to comment whether the alliance would support the NDA if required during the Government formation.
Lapang, a seasoned politician, knows that any comment at this moment would be exploited by its political rival � the Congress. So much so that he even refused to comment on the performance of the NDA in the past five years, although the NPP continues to be a part of the NDA.
�Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried his best, let�s see how he scores (election results)�, Lapang said after much cajoling, while adding �Rahul Gandhi is yet to mature.�
One of the reasons for this fear of the alliance of being seen in good-humour with the BJP is also because of the party�s manifesto, which vowed today to enact the Citizen�s (Amendment) Bill (CAB).
There has been opposition in the State against implementation of the Bill, which the regional parties say would alter the demography of the State. In fact, during the CAB agitation period, the UDP wanted the two BJP MLAs in the MDA Government out.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the NPP has opposed the Bill when it was slated to be tabled in the Raya Sabha and would continue to do so if and when it is brought back.
He too remained non-committal on speaking about supporting the NDA if the situation arises. Like Lapang, Tynsong too refused to comment on the merits or demerits of the past five years of the NDA Government.
SHILLONG, April 8 - The National People�s Party-led alliance in Meghalaya is keeping cards close to its chest by maintaining a measured distance from the BJP during this election season.
The alliance of the NPP includes parties like the United Democratic Party, People�s Democratic Front, Hill State People�s Democratic Party, Independents and even a Nationalist Congress Party member.
The alliance has put up common candidates for the Shillong (Jemino Mawthoh) and Tura (Agatha Sangma) seats and so they are keeping this well-maintained distance from the BJP to blunt the Congress� attack that the NPP and others are just the B-team of the BJP.
Former CM and now the chief adviser to the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) Government, DD Lapang refused to comment whether the alliance would support the NDA if required during the Government formation.
Lapang, a seasoned politician, knows that any comment at this moment would be exploited by its political rival � the Congress. So much so that he even refused to comment on the performance of the NDA in the past five years, although the NPP continues to be a part of the NDA.
�Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried his best, let�s see how he scores (election results)�, Lapang said after much cajoling, while adding �Rahul Gandhi is yet to mature.�
One of the reasons for this fear of the alliance of being seen in good-humour with the BJP is also because of the party�s manifesto, which vowed today to enact the Citizen�s (Amendment) Bill (CAB).
There has been opposition in the State against implementation of the Bill, which the regional parties say would alter the demography of the State. In fact, during the CAB agitation period, the UDP wanted the two BJP MLAs in the MDA Government out.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the NPP has opposed the Bill when it was slated to be tabled in the Raya Sabha and would continue to do so if and when it is brought back.
He too remained non-committal on speaking about supporting the NDA if the situation arises. Like Lapang, Tynsong too refused to comment on the merits or demerits of the past five years of the NDA Government.
