Meghalaya: Congress accuses NPP of vote-buying tactics during campaign

Guwahati: Vincent H Pala, Congress leader and candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat in Meghalaya, alleged that the National People's Party (NPP) is resorting to "unethical" means to secure votes.

Pala claimed that NPP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong offered special packages to villages in Jaintia Hills in exchange for generating 2,000 votes for the party from each village.

Pala "condemned" this behaviour as an act of desperation by the ruling coalition, particularly targeting Christian-majority areas.

Expressing concerns about the implications of a BJP return to power, Pala highlighted the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand and alleged moves to revoke Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for Christians in Assam under BJP governance.

Pala also accused the BJP-led NDA government of obstructing foreign funding to organizations like the Missionaries of Charity by imposing stricter regulations under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, leading to challenges in renewing FCRA licenses for Christian missionary groups.