Shillong: The Khasi Jaintia Christian Leaders Forum (KJCLF) has criticised the decision of eight Meghalaya MLAs to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), describing the move as a “tragic betrayal” of the electorate.
KJCLF secretary Rev Edwin Kharkongor said while individuals or groups were free to join any political party, the decision by elected MLAs to cross over to a party they were not elected under raised serious questions about their commitment to the voters.
“When an individual or a group of individuals join a political party, we have nothing to say. However, when elected party MLAs cross over to join another party from which they were not voted in the beginning, that is a tragic betrayal of the electorate,” Kharkongor said.
He alleged that such defections reflected a pursuit of power and personal interests rather than a commitment to good governance and the interests of the people and the state.
Kharkongor also criticised the BJP’s political positions, alleging that the party has supported majoritarian politics and remained silent on issues including ethnic violence in Manipur and attacks and hate speeches targeting Christians and other minority communities.
While acknowledging the BJP-led government’s economic and welfare initiatives, he alleged that the party’s broader political agenda threatened India’s cultural and religious diversity.
On Meghalaya, Kharkongor alleged that the BJP had exercised disproportionate influence in the state despite having only two MLAs in the Assembly.
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He said the defection of the eight MLAs had now given the BJP greater political legitimacy in Meghalaya, alleging that the legislators had compromised the trust placed in them by voters.
Kharkongor said it was now for voters in the respective constituencies to decide how they viewed the defections.
“Only time will tell,” he said.
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