BJP plans Grand Alliance in Tripura and Meghalaya

GUWAHATI: The BJP is trying to form an Assam-type grand alliance of regional parties in Meghalaya and Tripura, which are going to polls next year. In a strategic move in Christiandominated Meghalaya, the party appointed Alphons Kannanthanam, a new member in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ministry, as its in-charge for the assembly election. BJP president Amit Shah is set to visit Meghalaya on September 28 to strategise for the polls.

Shah will inaugurate the party’s new office during and some legislators are expected to join the BJP in his presence. In Meghalaya, the BJP is eyeing an alliance with the United Democratic Party and the National People’s Party.

Both parties attended the second meeting of the BJP-floated non-Congress platform, Northeast Democratic Alliance ( NEDA), in New Delhi on Tuesday. In Left Front-ruled Tripura, the saffron party is looking to tie up with prominent tribal party IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura) (NC faction).

“Talks on alliance is progressing well. Things are likely to take concrete shape by November this year,” BJP’s strate gist for Northeast India and the NEDA convener, Himanta Biswa Sarma, told ET.

Last year, the BJP cobbled up an alliance ahead of the assembly polls in Assam with the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bodoland People’s Front. Already, opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and Hill State People’s Democratic Party in Meghalaya have stitched together a pre-poll alliance between them.

UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh said:“Though there is no proposal for pre-poll alliance (with BJP), but we will keep the spirit of NEDA alive and ensure that we keep the Congress out of power in the next elections.”