The Meghalaya government has denied permission to hold an election rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at PA Sangma Stadium in South Tura. The decision irked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which said that nothing can stop the PM.
The PM was scheduled to participate in campaigning in Shillong and Tura on February 24. However, the sports department of Meghalaya denied permission for his rally at Tura, citing construction work at the venue.
“The sports department has communicated that it will not be fit to host such a big gathering at the stadium as construction work is still going on and materials kept at the site may be of safety concerns. Therefore, an alternate venue at Alotgre cricket stadium is being considered,” District Electoral Officer Swapnil Tembe said.
BJP national secretary and joint northeast in-charge Rituraj Sinha said Sunday that the rally would be held as scheduled despite the venue not being confirmed.
“Once the PM has decided to speak to the people of Meghalaya, nothing can stop him.”
Further, he said that he was amused how a stadium can be declared “incomplete and unavailable” for use for the PM’s rally just two months after inauguration.
“Is Conrad Sangma and Mukul Sangma scared of us (BJP)? They are trying to stall the BJP’s wave in Meghalaya. You can try and stop PM’s rally but the people of the state have made up their minds (to support the BJP),” he added.
BJP’s Meghalaya election committee co-convenor Rupam Goswami said that the PM’s rally is on. The party has finalised an alternative venue, and is awaiting the district administration’s permission to use that.
PM’s visit comes ahead of the upcoming elections in the state. PM Modi will address a rally in Tura on the 24th of February. He will also hold a roadshow as a part of the election campaign in Shillong same day where the BJP hopes to secure a large vote share.
Meghalaya will vote for a new government on February 27 along with Nagaland. The election results for the northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland will be announced on March 2. The voting for all 60 Assembly seats in Tripura was held in a single phase on February 16.
