New Delhi: Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) president Conrad K Sangma Monday denied accusations that he declined the Bharatiya Janata Party’s request to hold an election rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the poll-bound state.
“All permissions come from the side of Election Commission of India and based on its direction, the district administration takes action. So there is no say from NPP or my side; dragging our (NPP and my) name into it is completely wrong. Even I haven’t gotten permissions for many of my rallies,” Meghalaya CM said in a press statement.
The NPP president further noted that such things happen during the elections but the BJP has made this into a big issue.
“But we have already said in the beginning that the stadium has two parts. The first part consists of the Football Stadium, which is ready and it was inaugurated. The other part, which has indoor stadium and swimming pool, is not ready and we have made it clear. Only half is ready and the other part is not ready,” Sangma informed.
On Sunday, the BJP alleged that the ruling National People’s Party in Meghalaya denied permission to the party to hold a rally of PM Modi at Tura’s PA Sangma stadium, citing ‘construction work at the venue’.
The BJP had planned to organise a mega poll rally of Prime Minister Modi in Tura on 24 February.
BJP national secretary Rituraj Sinha said, “We requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold a roadshow in Shillong and a public rally in Tura, Garo hills. We sought permission for PA Sangma stadium to organise a PM rally but we are surprised to know that the stadium is under construction and not ready. So they sent a letter that PM’s rally could not be held there. The entire country and the people of Meghalaya know that PA Sangma stadium was inaugurated by CM Conrad Sangma on December 16 itself in a grand manner.”
With inputs from PTI
Also read: Permission for PM’s rally at Meghalaya stadium denied, BJP fumes