Shillong, September 19: The BJP may withdraw support from the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government soon, Senior BJP leader and former Minister Alexander L. Hek said on Monday. He said that the decision of the party's State Executive Committee and the Core Committee has been communicated to the central leaders and this is the right time to withdraw support from the MDA government headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.

BJP's national General Secretary, Organisation, B.L. Santhosh was also present in the meetings of the State Executive Committee and the Core Committee, held last week, Hek told IANS.

Replying to a query about the reasons behind the decision to quit the ruling coalition almost at the end of the full five year term, Hek, who was earlier minister in the Sangma ministry, said: "Everything would be disclosed and explained in detail at an appropriate time".

BJP national Vice-President and party's Meghalaya in-charge M. Chuba Ao earlier said that the party may withdraw support from the MDA within a month. The BJP with two MLAs is a junior ally of the National People's Party (NPP) dominated six-party coalition government. Congress Slams BJP After Its 8 MLAs in Goa Defect to the Saffron Party, Says ‘Operation Kichad Fast Tracked in the State’.

Ao had said that that the party has been studying the reports on the various corruption allegations against the state government and the CBI would handle the charges once they acquire all the papers.

Even though the NPP, headed by Chief Minister Sangma, is an important constituent of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), its relation with the saffron party is gradually souring over various issues, specially after the arrest of BJP state Vice President Bernard N. Marak.

Marak was arrested from Uttar Pradesh on July 25 for allegedly running a brothel in the West Garo Hills district. BJP workers and leaders had earlier organised protests in Tura demanding a fair probe in Marak's case, while the party workers in West Garo Hills organised a signature campaign demanding the removal of the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of the district.

In defence of Marak, BJP leaders claimed that the farmhouse in the brothel case has been operational since 2019 but the raid was carried out just six months prior to the Assembly elections in Meghalaya to malign Marak and to damage his political career. Captain Amarinder Singh, Former Punjab CM, Joins BJP; Merges His Newly Formed Party.

However, NPP Rajya Sabha member and state President W.R. Kharlukhi had termed the BJP's threat as a farce. Sangme, who is also the NPP's national President, had stated that Ao's statement was personal and added that it should not be taken as BJP's official stand since top leadership of the BJP will communicate with him if it has any concern which was not the case so far.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 19, 2022 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).