Even while criticising the BJP for “pumping in resources” to stamp its footprint in the two north-eastern States that went to the polls on Tuesday, the Congress expressed confidence that it will retain Meghalaya and perform well in Nagaland.

The party’s General Secretary in-charge of the States, CP Joshi, said the BJP will try to form a government in Meghalaya even if they are defeated. “They are trying to re-create an Arunachal Pradesh scenario after the elections. They have the resources, but people will defeat them,” Joshi told BusinessLine.

The Congress believes that the BJP, with no presence in both the States, is trying to extend its footprint to Nagaland and Meghalaya for “vicarious pleasure”. “They get a vicarious pleasure by splitting parties, spending resources that can’t be matched by any political party and making post-poll alliances with regional parties against whom they contest,” Joshi said.

Joshi said the BJP has been poaching candidates from other parties because “they do not have a base” in Meghalaya anad Nagaland. “BJP’s ideology does not have any relevance in these north-eastern States. They are very keen to win these States by any means,” Joshi added.

The Congress is struggling to retain Meghalaya while in Nagaland, the party faced several splits ahead of the elections. “We have seen in Arunachal Pradesh that BJP does not have to win elections to form a government,” Joshi added, while expressing confidence that the Congress will cross all such hurdles to form governments in both the States.

Related Topics