BJP fields former militant leader Bernard Marak against Meghalaya CM
Shillong (PTI): The BJP on Thursday announced Bernard N Marak, its state unit vice-president and a former militant leader, as its official candidate against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in South Tura constituency.
The saffron party will contest all the 60 seats in the Meghalaya assembly and announced names of all its candidates on Thursday.
It had last month decided to break away from the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance led by Conrad Sangma and go it alone in the state election, a party spokesman said here.
Among those whose names featured in the list were BJP's two sitting MLAs Sanbor Shullai and A L Hek who will contest from South Shillong and Pynthorukhrah constituencies in the city, he said.
Sitting MLAs who quit other parties in the past few months and joined BJP were also accommodated in the list. Among them are H M Shangpliang, Ferlin Sangma, Benedict Marak and Samuel M Sangma who will contesting from Mawsynram, Selsella, Raksamgre and Baghmara constituencies respectively.
State BJP president Ernest Mawrie who unsuccessfully contested from Nongthymmai constituency in 2018 will contest from West Shillong constituency. M H Kharkrang, the party spokesperson, will contest from North Shillong constituency, according to the party.
The party also fielded seven women candidates, including former NPP MLA Ferlin Sangma, the spokesman said.
Marak had laid down arms in 2014 and disbanded the ANVC-B militant group. He had joined Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), an armed militant group to carve out a separate state for Garo tribals.
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BJP rule in Maharashtra worse than Aurangzeb’s time: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai, Mar 14 (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday called the BJP rule in Maharashtra worse than that of Aurangzeb and claimed that farmers were dying because of the saffron party.
He claimed that farmers, unemployed people and women are committing suicides in the state.
“It’s been 400 years since Aurangzeb was buried. Forget him. Are farmers in Maharashtra committing suicide due to Aurangzeb? They are doing it because of you," Raut said.
If the Mughal ruler committed atrocities, then what is the government doing, he asked. BJP leads the ruling Mahayuti coalition, also comprising the Shiv Sena and NCP, in the state.
“Farmers are committing suicide. BJP's tenure is worse than that of Aurangzeb,” Raut said.
He was responding to a question on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s remarks that “everyone” feels Mughal ruler Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar should be removed. But it has to be done under legal purview as the previous Congress regime put the site under the Archaeological Survey of India's protection, Fadnavis had said.
BJP's Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, a descendant of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had sought the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Aurangzeb is remembered in Maharashtra for his battles with the Marathas, who resisted his expansionist ambitions. Shivaji Maharaj's son, Sambhaji, was captured, tortured, and executed on his orders.
