State capitals in northeast to get air, rail connectivity before 2024: Amit Shah

"The NDPP-BJP coalition will form government in Nagaland after polls. We will solve all problems of the state," Amit Shah said, addressing an election rally.

Ahead of polls in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 14 said all the state capitals in the northeast region will get rail and air connectivity before 2024.

“In the last eight years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the northeast region more than 51 times. It had never been the frequency of any Prime Minister to visit this area in the independent history of India,” Shah said in an interview with ANI.

He said that PM Modi has ended ‘mann ki doori’ between northeast and the rest of India. The BJP-led government has worked for people on various fronts because of which the party is confident of winning the upcoming elections, Shah added.

The Union Home Minister while replying to a query on the possibility of a hung assembly in Tripura said, “The constituencies in Tripura are small and you will see that before 12 PM on counting day, the BJP will win with a thumping majority.”

Tripura will go to polls on February 16 for its 60-member House. BJP leaders have campaigned extensively to retain the state again. The party is contesting 55 seats, while its alliance partner the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) is contesting five seats.

In 2018, BJP made a record by ousting the Left Front government, which had ruled Tripura for 35 years from 1978.

The Union Home Minister said that the BJP government took effective steps to fight against extremism and had agreements with many groups to ensure peace prevail in northeastern states.

“Earlier northeast region was known for blockades, shutdowns, violence, insurgency, now the situation on the ground has changed because of developmental works,” Shah told ANI.

It is also compulsory for a Union minister to visit the northeast region every fifteen days. The people of the northeast region have great faith in the BJP, he added. In the last eight years, the people of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura have realised that BJP is not against their identity, culture and language.

“In fact under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many steps have been taken to strengthen the local languages. Primary education is imparted in the local languages. Our government is working to develop the northeast region in every possible way,” said Shah.