Meghalaya Assembly Election: Setback to BJP as party spokesperson Sony Khyriem joins Congress

Shillong: In a major setback to the BJP before the 27 February Meghalaya Assembly polls, the party’s spokesperson Sony Khyriem joined the ruling Congress party with hundreds of his supporters on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_4330749” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Khyriem said he took the step in protest against the BJP’s decision not to nominate a candidate in West Shillong assembly constituency, besides the “anti-minorities stand” of the BJP. “The ‘dictatorial attitude’ not to nominate a candidate in the constituency speaks volumes of the BJP’s tyrannical mindset and the despotic choice,” Khyriem told IANS after he joined the Congress along with his supporters. “We failed to understand the idea behind BJP decision not to nominate a candidate from West Shillong assembly constituency, a seat which the BJP had won in the last Shillong parliamentary elections,” he said. The Congress has pitted Mohendro Rapsang against veteran sitting United Democratic Party legislator Paul Lyngdoh and National People’s Party nominee Havergail Bareh. Moreover, Khyriem said that his decision to quit the BJP was also because of the anti-minorities stand of the saffron party, which is unacceptable to the people of India. “Everyone is aware of the anti-minorities stand of the BJP. We have also seen in the media reports that the central government has rejected the visa application of a global Christian leader Reverend Paul Msiza to attend 150 years of Christianity in Garo Hills region,” he said. The visa application of the Baptist World Alliance leader was rejected by the Consulate General of India in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday, a move which was criticised by the Christian community in poll-bound Meghalaya. The Baptist World Alliance is a worldwide alliance of Baptist churches and organisations, formed in 1905 in London. Khyriem voiced confidence that the Congress will retain power in Meghalaya as people have more faith and confidence in the Congress party.