Not ruling out alliance with National People's Party after assembly polls in Meghalaya: M Chuba Ao

BJP’s National Vice-president and Meghalaya in-charge M Chuba Ao has not ruled out the option of BJP forging alliance with the National People's Party (NPP) after the February 27 Assembly polls in Meghalaya.

Both BJP and NPP, though part of the six party ruling coalition, have a strained relationship. Both the parties are contesting polls on their own.

The relationship between the two parties soured further after party's state vice-president Bernard N. Marak was arrested on July 25 last year for allegedly running a 'brothel'. The court however relieved him from the charges.


BJP with two MLAs (including a minister) is the partner of the MDA government. Ao, who is BJP in-charge for Meghalaya, said that everything is possible in politics and there is no permanent narrative in politics. “After elections everything is forgotten.”

“Let the poll outcome appear then we would decide the best formula to rule the state,” the BJP leader from Nagaland said.

NPP announced a list of 58 candidates for the upcoming election in the State of Meghalaya. The TMC has so far announced 52 poll candidates for the Feb 27 Meghalaya Assembly elections. BJP is yet to announce its candidates.

BJP had earlier threatened to withdraw support from the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government. Ao has earlier stated, "we received complaints but we need proof. As soon as we get the papers, ED and CBI will be there. The central agencies will be after them. In Meghalaya, they are running at our cost, we are not running our government at their cost. BJP has zero tolerance against corruption.”

BJP Meghalaya president Ernest Mawrie said, “This time we expected to win 35 seats and would be able to lead the government”.

He said that many central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi would campaign for BJP in Meghalaya from the second week of February.

He said Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani and Nitin Gadkari, Chief ministers of other BJP-ruled states will campaign in Meghalaya.