Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Tuesday said the proposed public rally by the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) on issues including the Lumpongdeng Island project was tied to campaigning for the upcoming Shillong Lok Sabha byelection.
“The public rally by the VPP is because they have started campaigning for the Shillong Lok Sabha byelection. We are also going to start our campaigning maybe by next month,” Dhar told reporters.
Referring to the state government’s decision to exclude Lumpongdeng Island from the Taj resort and spa project, he said, “The statement of deputy chief minister and cabinet minister Wailadmiki Shylla is very clear and exactly it has happened like that only.”
Asked if the VPP was targeting the NPP, Dhar said, “No, every political party it is their duty to campaign for the byelection, maybe they want to use it (issue) as an election agenda, that is up to them.”
On his earlier offer that the 5-star hotel project at Umiam be diverted to Wahiajer if people opposed it, he said, “You see we always welcome development. Since now the government has listened to the voice of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong of Ri Bhoi district… we (government) have resolved the issue.”