New Delhi, Jan 07: The BJP today set up an eight-member ministerial committee to chalk out its strategy for the assembly elections in the three north-eastern states of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. At its first meeting, the committee discussed the broad outlines of the steps to be taken to build up the party in these states where it is "yet to have a firm footing," party sources said.
With development being the main emphasis in the election campaign in these three states, the party would not hesitate to raise the issue of conversions if the opposition did so, the sources said.
The committee includes Arun Shourie who is also minister for north eastern affairs, Bijoya Chakravarty, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Anna Saheb Patel, B C Khanduri, Ravi Shankar Prasad, I D Swami and Tapan Sikdar.
"This committee will chalk out a detailed programme for these three states which is important for the party politically as it would enable it to get a foothold in the north-eastern region," party sources said.
With former Nagaland chief minister Hokishe Sema having joined BJP, the party has got a boost in the state and it would have to capitalise on this and strengthen its position, the sources said.
In Meghalaya the party was yet to decide on whether to have an alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which has expressed interest in an alliance with BJP, sources said. Bureau Report