TURA: BJP leader and Tura MDC Bernard N Marak on Thursday said his alleged “illegal arrest” would have a huge positive impact on his candidature in the upcoming Assembly Elections next year and that people will vote for change to topple the ruling NPP-led MDA government.
Marak was released on Wednesday, after spending more than 3 months in jail in a gamut of cases lodged against him by the Meghalaya police.
Terming his own arrest as illegal and concocted by the NPP government, Marak said the incident would be an advantage for him in the elections as the people have realized what the ruling dispensation is capable of doing.
“It is going to be very interesting because earlier people voted for leaders with high expectations of bringing change in society. This time, it is going to be very different because of one thing in particular. My illegal arrest will make an impact in the upcoming election and give me the advantage. Because people have realized that things can go down to that level politically,” Bernard said.
Marak exuded confidence that the people would vote for change and choose the BJP despite chief minister Conrad Sangma contesting from South Tura and sitting MLA Thomas A Sangma from North Tura.
Bernard also informed that the BJP’s main focus for the upcoming election would be “ending corruption and upliftment of the general masses”.
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“We want to bring change and end corruption. BJP has always been against corruption and our campaign will be based on that only because we have been victimized, our people have been victimized on account of corruption. Our main focus will be to end corruption and for the upliftment of the people,” he said.
To a question on who was responsible for his illegal arrest, Bernard said, “I do not need to name anyone but those in the government who feel threatened that they will be ousted in the election are the ones who are behind it.”
The Meghalaya BJP vice president, Bernard N Marak was arrested on the charge of running a sex racket following a raid at his farmhouse in Tura, from where 73 people were arrested and six minors were rescued on July 22. Later, the police reportedly recovered and seized 35 gelatine sticks, 100 detonators, four crossbows and 15 arrows from the farmhouse named Rimpu Bagan.
Marak, a militant-turned-politician, had earlier claimed he was innocent and alleged he was the target of political vendetta by the chief minister and feared for his life. The state BJP also backed his claim.
Marak was the chairman of the now-disbanded armed rebel group ANVC(B), a breakaway faction of the Achik National Volunteer Council, before he joined the BJP and won the tribal council elections from Tura.
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