Congress can only save people: Mukul Sangma

Shillong, October 2 (PTI): Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Tuesday claimed that the Congress is the only alternative and relevant party to save the people.   The senior Congress leader alleged that the BJP and its allies are a "threat" to present democracy in the country. "There is no alternative party except the Congress for the people of this nation. In the days to come, the Congress is the only relevant party," Mukul Sangma, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya Assembly told reporters here.   Sangma, who is also the North East Congress Co-ordination Committee chairman said the Congress will prevail upon the people of the country the "lies" the BJP has been telling since assuming office in 2014, so that they can make the correct and informed choices in the 2019 elections.   "What have the Government of India done to the North Eastern states when they came to power except than withdrawing all the special plan assistance which has affected these states to a great extent?" he said.   Attacking the Rs 1,90,000 crore scheme announced by the Union Minister for Roads and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Mukul Sangma asked if there was any new schemes included except than those which were approved in the previous Congress-led governments.   "What is new? I will be happy if there is anything new included. Arent all those in the list the schemes approved during the previous governments?" he said, naming each of the schemes in the state.   Defending the Congress projection of Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, the NECC chairman said that the Congress president got a bad name because of the perception the BJP created against him.   "Creating a bad perception against Congress leaders is the strategy of the BJP. Infact this is the only weapon Modi has against Rahul," he said.   He alleged that the same strategy was adopted by the BJP and its allies in Meghalaya.