Four congress MLAs set to join BJP in Meghalaya

New Delhi:The BJP seems to be heading for a fierce electoral battle in Congress-ruled Meghalaya's and is winning over disgruntled leaders from other parties.Four sitting legislators will on Tuesday join the saffron party, senior party leader Ram Madhav said. "In Meghalaya today, 4 MLAs from Congress and other parties will join BJP together with other elected members and hundreds of supporters. 'Meghalaya for Change - Meghalaya for BJP' is PM's call," he tweeted.

Elections are due in Meghalaya by February-March this year along with Nagaland and Tripura. BJP trying to form government possibly in alliance with Conard Sangma-led NPP in Christian-stronghold state has much more socio-political significance.Horse-trading with smaller parties and splinter groups is an old political trick played in Meghalaya politics.Besides playing up the development card, the BJP has adopted different strategies tailored to different areas, and embraced Christian politicians in key states in north-east.

For instance, the saffron party has decided to go soft on the beef ban in the northeast.Since 2014, the BJP has successfully formed a ruling alliance in the Christian stronghold of Goa. At one point, it even had a Christian deputy chief minister in Goa.In Nagaland, another predominantly Christian state, the BJP is likely to contest polls in coordination with its longtime regional ally NPF.Tripura is under Marxists' rule since 1990s and incumbent Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is in office since 1998. Last year, BJP formally entered into the state assembly when six Trinamool Congress MLAs quit Mamata Banerjee-led outfit and joined BJP.(UNI)