Shillong: Meghalaya Congress president Vincent Pala on Friday questioned whether the BJP’s recent gain of eight UDP MLAs would translate into support from voters in the 2028 Assembly elections.
Reacting to the MLAs’ move to the BJP, Pala said winning over elected representatives was different from winning an election and securing the people’s mandate.
“The real test will be 2028,” he said, adding that the Congress opposed the manner in which the BJP had expanded its strength in the state.
Pala described the movement of MLAs from one party to another as an attempt to take away the mandate given by voters. He urged people to take note of the political changes taking place in the state.
He also linked the latest development to earlier attempts by the BJP to bring Congress MLAs into its fold, saying political parties that had once watched such moves from the sidelines were now facing a similar situation.
“When the BJP tried to steal Congress MLAs, the UDP was laughing. Today, the BJP is stealing the MLAs of UDP, the NPP will be laughing at the UDP and next BJP will be stealing NPP MLAs. That would be the last laugh,” Pala said.
Pala said the BJP’s growing presence in Meghalaya would be tested at the ballot box and pointed to the 2023 Assembly election while questioning the party’s support among voters.
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He said the changing political equations could lead to a contest between the Congress and BJP in the coming election and asserted that the Congress would enter the 2028 polls with full strength.
The Congress leader’s remarks came two days after eight UDP MLAs joined the BJP in New Delhi.
Also Read | Meghalaya: 8 former UDP MLAs submit BJP merger letter to Assembly