Senior Congress leader and 3 other MLAs join BJP

Senior Congress leader and 3 other MLAs join BJP

In a boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the elections in Meghalaya, senior Congress leader and former cabinet minister AL Hek joined the saffron party today.

In a setback to the ruling Congress in poll-bound Meghalaya, Alexander L Hek and three other MLAs joined the BJP.

Apart from Hek, former deputy speaker Sanbor Shullai (who also headed the NCP in the state until last year) and two Independents — Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon — joined the party at a rally here along with another member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Hambertus Nongtdu.

Union Minister of State for Tourism Minister K J Alphons, who is also the election-in-charge of the BJP in Meghalaya, said the party will “throw” the Congress out of power in Meghalaya.

“We are going to throw the most corrupt government in Meghalaya (from power). Mr chief minister, your days are numbered. This is just the beginning,” Alphons claimed, while welcoming the new entrants to the party.

“You (Meghalayans) have been ruled by the Congress which deprived you of what you deserved. Your ministers have stolen your money. This has to stop,” he said.

Addressing the rally, Northeast in-charge of the BJP, Ram Madhav, said, “What a way to welcome the New Year with four MLAs. I have no doubt they will continue to be re-elected as MLAs again,” he said.

Terming it a ghar wapsi for Hek, Madhav said, “The BJP is the present and future of India and Meghalayas future is the BJP.”

Hek had earlier contested on BJP ticket in 1998, 2003 and 2008. He joined the Congress in 2009 and was re-elected in the 2013 elections retaining the Pynthorumkhrah seat.

Earlier, the MLAs jointly tendered their resignation letters to Speaker A T Mondal.