Meghalaya Sports Department denies permission to BJP for PM Modi's rally at Chief Minister's home constituency

 

The Meghalaya Sports Department has denied permission to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to host an election rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at P A Sangma Stadium in Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's home constituency of South Tura, citing construction work at the venue. The BJP, alleging that the ruling National People's Party (NPP), along with the Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties, were trying to stall a 'wave of the saffron party' in the state, is now considering an alternate venue at Alotgre cricket stadium. District Electoral Officer Swapnil Tembe informed the media that the sports department had communicated that it would 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. The stadium was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on December 16 last year, built at a cost of Rs 127 crore with 90% of the funds borne by the Centre.

The BJP leaders expressed their discontent over the move and said that they were amused how a stadium could be declared "incomplete and unavailable" for use for the PM's rally just two months after inauguration. BJP National General Secretary Rituraj Sinha alleged that Conrad Sangma and Mukul Sangma were trying to stall the BJP's wave in Meghalaya, and questioned whether they were scared of the BJP. Meanwhile, Senior BJP leader A L Hek said the PM would hold a roadshow in Pynthorumkhrah constituency in Shillong on February 24.