SHILLONG, July 29 - A number of sitting Meghalaya legislators from different political parties have sought an audience with BJP�s National President, Amit Shah during his scheduled visit here next month.
The BJP has dubbed these visits as �courtesy calls,� but political circles are already abuzz that a good number of sitting legislators would be shifting allegiances before the 2018 Assembly elections.
�These are just courtesy calls. They just want to meet our party president,� Shibun Lyngdoh, BJP State president told The Assam Tribune. When prodded further, Lyngdoh added, he doesn�t know about the reason for the visit, but seeking tickets could be one of the points of discussions during their visit with Shah.
The BJP State president said seven sitting legislators from Congress, UDP and NPP have made the requests, but did not give their names. Lyngdoh further refused to say whether these legislators included Cabinet Ministers.
The BJP doesn�t have any representative in the present 60-member Meghalaya Assembly, although there were BJP legislators in the previous Assemblies.
Shah�s scheduled visit on July 12 was cancelled due to his other engagements. His visit has been rescheduled for August, but the exact date has not been fixed so far.
There is a strong possibility that several legislators would join the BJP. The BJP has been reiterating that �many� MLAs have sent feelers to the party to fight on BJP ticket during the 2018 Assembly elections.
Lyngdoh also downplayed Shah�s visit to the State saying party�s national leaders visit different parts of the country to understand the ground situation.
Meanwhile, the ruling Congress is fighting the anti-incumbency factor. The party is understandably nervous going by the political scenario in the country, although Meghalaya is a strong Congress bastion. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who has won from Ampati in Garo Hills for several terms, is reportedly trying to fight from two constituencies this time.
Others in the Cabinet have already showed signs of joining other parties. Some of the other parties who would possibly be taking in Congress legislators are UDP and NPP.
