Utter disregard for people's mandate: Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of usurping power in Meghalaya through proxy

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New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused BJP of 'usurping' power through proxy in Meghalaya, using big money to create 'opportunistic alliance'. 

With just 2 seats, the BJP has usurped power in Meghalaya, through a proxy.

Like in Manipur & Goa, showing utter disregard for the mandate of the people. Obsessed instead with grabbing power, using big money to create an opportunistic alliance.#DemocracyDemonetised — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 5, 2018

Reacting to Rahul's tweet, BJP's national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao retorted: 

Rahulbhai, You never seem to learn lessons. In Meghalaya, people have rejected the Congress and gave a mandate for anti-Congress govt. We understand your desperation as you shrink in political space and face the prospect of being reduced to power only in Puducherry. https://t.co/jHdLWDt15E — GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) March 5, 2018

Meghalaya threw up a fractured mandate on Saturday with the ruling Congress emerging as the largest party, marginally ahead of its rival, the NPP, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Manipur.

The Congress bagged 21 seats in the 60-member Assembly, eight less than the last elections. The NPP came second with 19 seats in its kitty.

The BJP, which drew a blank in the last elections, got two seats. The United Democratic Party (UDP) won six seats while its alliance partner the HSPDP won two seats. The People's Democratic Front (PDF) bagged four seats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) and three Independents got one seat each.

Sangma met the governor on Sunday evening to stake claim to form a coalition government in Meghalaya.

He submitted a letter of support from 34 MLAs - 19 of the NPP, six of the United Democratic Party (UDP), four of the People's Democratic Front (PDF), two each of the Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the BJP, and an Independent.

The Congress could not garner the support of regional outfits to cobble together a coalition government. Top party leaders Ahmed Patel and Kamal Nath rushed to Shillong to talk to regional parties but to no avail.

Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, breaking his silence on the party's defeat in three Northeast states, Rahul said he respected the mandate of people in the region and was committed to winning back their trust.

"The Congress party respects the mandate of the people of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. We are committed to strengthening our party across the North East and to win back the trust of the people. My sincere thanks to each and every Congress worker who toiled for the party," he posted on Twitter.

The Congress party respects the mandate of the people of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya.

We are committed to strengthening our party across the North East and to winning back the trust of the people.

My sincere thanks to each and every Congress worker who toiled for the party. — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 5, 2018

The Congress failed to score a single seat in Tripura and Nagaland.

Just before the results of the three Northeast states were announced, Rahul had announced on Thursday that he would visit his 93-year-old grandmother in Italy over the Holi weekend.

(With PTI inputs)