New Delhi, 23 September (H.S.): Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju welcomed the decision of eight elected members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), describing it as an important political development for the Northeast.

Addressing a press conference in the presence of all eight legislators, Rijiju said their decision marked a significant development not only for Meghalaya but for the Northeast as a whole.

Rijiju said all eight legislators who joined the BJP were previously associated with the United Democratic Party (UDP), which he described as an important regional political party in Meghalaya. He welcomed the legislators into the BJP and said their decision reflected their confidence in the party’s leadership and its work in the region.

The Union minister said that over the past 12 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Northeast and Meghalaya had witnessed development and transformation. He said the Prime Minister had maintained an emotional connection with the people of the Northeast and that the BJP had given a new direction to the politics of development in the region.

Rijiju said the eight Meghalaya legislators had been influenced by the development initiatives and work undertaken by the Modi government and had consequently decided to join the BJP. He said their decision to align themselves with the BJP was based on their faith in the government’s record of development and governance.

Rijiju welcomed all eight legislators into the BJP and described their induction as an important development in the political landscape of Meghalaya and the Northeast.

The announcement was made at a press conference attended by BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, where all eight legislators formally announced their decision to join the BJP. With their induction, the BJP’s strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has increased from two to 10.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar