BJP urges Congress allies to form a non-Congress govt in Meghalaya

Shillong, July 26 (UNI) The Opposition BJP today urged Congress allies to sever ties with the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance and form an alternative ''stable'' government with the support of the Opposition parties.

The BJP extended this offer to the four regional political parties - United Democratic Party (8 MLAs), Meghalaya Democratic Party (4 MLAs), Hills State People's Democratic Party (2 MLAs) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (2 MLAs), besides four Independent Legislators.

This came in the wake of 17 Congress MLAs demanding AICC president Sonia Gandhi to reinstate former Chief Minister D D Lapang as their Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

Last month, Mr J D Rymbai took over the helm of affairs after Mr Lapang lost his majority as the CLP leader.

The schism in the Congress surfaced again after present Chief Minister J D Rymbai failed to induct senior Congress leader, and AICC member K K Dkhar was refused a ministerial berth in the Rymbai-led ministry.

''We can form an alternative stable government if the Congress allies are ready to serve the people of the state,'' Meghalaya state unit BJP president Alexander Hek said.

The Congress has 29 MLAs in the House of 59 with one Independent MLA Predickson G Momin passing away recently. While the Opposition political parties comprised seven NCP MLAs, two BJP MLAs besides three Independent Legislators.

The senior BJP Legislator felt this was the right time for the regional political parties to come out from the government in the wake of continuing dissidence in the Congress.

''How they can serve the people of the state when they keep changing leader every now and then,'' Mr Hek said while dubbing his archrival Congress as a party of ''opportunists''.

When contacted Deputy Chief Minister and UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy, who appeared to be fed up with the political development in the Congress, said, ''I have no time to talk of politics now.'' UNI RRK SJC LS HS1653