SHILLONG, Oct 11: Senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai has asked voters to give the saffron party five years in power in 2028, promising that they can vote it out if it fails to deliver on development.
Making a strong pitch for a BJP government in the state, he said Meghalaya gave other parties opportunities to govern, and it was now time to test the BJP’s ability to lead.
“Give the BJP only five years. You have allowed the Congress and regional parties to lead the state. If we fail to deliver, you can vote us out in the next election,” Shullai, who represents South Shillong, said while addressing a gathering in Mawlai constituency on Friday.
He argued that the development witnessed under the BJP-led government at the Centre over the past 12 years demonstrated the party’s capacity to bring change, adding that Meghalaya could benefit further if the BJP came to power in the state.
“Imagine what can happen if there is a BJP government in Meghalaya,” he said, urging voters to give the party a chance in the 2028 Assembly elections.
Shullai pointed to the BJP’s increased strength in the Assembly, from two to 10 MLAs following the entry of eight UDP legislators, but said the party needed a popular mandate to translate its growing political presence into power.
Seeking to counter allegations that the BJP was anti-Christian, the minister urged people not to be misled by what he described as false propaganda against the party.
Recounting his decision to contest the 2018 Assembly elections on a BJP ticket, Shullai said rumours had circulated that his election would lead to churches being shut down or burnt and that people who consumed beef would be assaulted by his supporters.
“Have you ever heard of such things happening in my constituency?” he asked, claiming that South Shillong remained peaceful since he was elected.
The minister also expressed disappointment over not being allotted the Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio, saying he believed he could have made a greater contribution to sports development in Meghalaya.
He said he could nevertheless use his access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise issues concerning the state and act as a messenger between the people and the Centre.
“I can proudly say that I am the youngest son of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Shullai said.
Invoking the promise of “milk and honey” under a BJP government, he said Meghalaya was missing out on opportunities because of the party’s limited representation in the Assembly.
Citing Assam as an example, Shullai referred to the land allotted to Olympic medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain and the proposed sports training academy, arguing that political support could strengthen sports infrastructure and create opportunities for young people.
Welcoming the formation of the BJP Mandal in Mawlai, he urged voters in the constituency and across Meghalaya to look to the party to take the state to greater heights.
Shullai maintained that the BJP deserved to govern Meghalaya and that its performance over five years should determine whether it received another mandate.