BJP charts expansion roadmap in Meghalaya, says party growth in NE ‘inevitable’

Correspondent

Shillong: Did the BJP’s decision not to contest the Lok Sabha elections in Meghalaya hamper its expansion at a time when the party faces allegations of rising atrocities against Christians? BJP Meghalaya in-charge Anil K Antony dismissed such apprehensions, asserting that the party’s growth trajectory in the North East remains unstoppable.

“The Sangathan Parva of the Bharatiya Janata Party is going on across India. In Meghalaya, the state president was re-elected in January 2025. In the past few months, the entire state team has been reconstituted, including the state office bearers, state executive, morcha heads, and various committees. Yesterday, we held our first State Executive Meeting, which also served as a workshop for our new office bearers to discuss the party’s activities and policies for the next three years, as well as areas of synergy where the state unit will focus in the coming months and years,” Antony said.

Projecting the party’s track record in the region as a template for its Meghalaya push, Antony remarked, “The state elections are three years away, and the last elections were two years ago. The party is continuously growing across the country, especially in the North East. The Lok Sabha elections were a historic victory for us. We are confident that in Meghalaya too, our party will grow.

“Take Tripura, for instance — just 10 years ago, our vote share was only 2 percent. In the last two elections, we won with record margins. In Assam, we did not have any MPs a decade ago, but today, for the second consecutive term, we are in government and expect another record victory. Eight years ago, the BJP had no presence in any North Eastern state. Today, four of the eight states are governed by us, and three others by NDA allies. Even in Meghalaya, we already have two MLAs. The past is behind us — we are growing everywhere, and we are confident Meghalaya will be no different.”

On questions about not contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Meghalaya, Antony defended the central leadership’s strategy. “There were reasons why certain decisions were taken, keeping in mind both national and holistic perspectives. Our central leadership always makes decisions based on ground realities and multiple political considerations. In Meghalaya, NPP led by Conrad Sangma has long been our ally, not only here but also in other states. Multiple factors must have been considered.”

Rejecting allegations of anti-Christian sentiment, Antony countered, “Claims of atrocities against Christians are misinformation spread by our political opponents. The Prime Minister works with the motto ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.’ The central government has launched over 300 schemes, and minorities have never been discriminated against while availing these benefits. Certain isolated incidents by elements not associated with the BJP are being misused to spread fear in minority-dominated areas. But the people of India can see through such propaganda.

“There are several Christian-majority states and constituencies where the BJP has won — including Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa. We also have many Christian MLAs within the party. The BJP continues to make inroads across these regions.”

Also Read: ‘Religious card’ only obstacle in M’laya: BJP spokesperson M. Kharkrang

Also Watch: