Better ties with neighbours to spur N-E economy, says Shah

GUWAHATI: BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday said improved relations with neighbouring countries—- Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan—- under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would transform the economy of the northeastern region, leading to higher growth.

BJP chief Amit Shah lights a lamp to inaugurate the third conclave of the North-East Democratic Alliance in Guwahati on Sunday. PTI

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, May 20

BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday said improved relations with neighbouring countries—- Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan—- under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would transform the economy of the northeastern region, leading to higher growth.

“The PM’s initiative to sign the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh will lead to development in the region and within 5 to 10 years the ports in the neighbouring country will carry goods produced in North-East,” he said.

Shah was addressing the third conclave of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) —- a platform promoted by the party for regional political groups in the north-eastern states. The conclave was attended by six Chief Ministers of the region which comprises 25 Lok Sabha seats. An MP represented Sikkim at the meeting that focused on the working out a strategy for the 2019 General Election.

The BJP chief said, “We have successfully achieved the objective of this ‘geo-cultural alliance’ that believes in taking the smallest party on board. The NDA government, unlike the previous dispensation, believes in acknowledging the rights of the N-E people.” There are 217 tribes and 185 languages spoken in the region and “they are not our burden, but our strength. The NEDA will strive to unite them and help develop the region”, he said.

“We are looking at making North-East formidable and our goal is to make the NEDA a representative alliance for the eight states of the region,” he said, referring to making Mizoram a part of the alliance through electoral success. Mizoram goes to poll by the end of the year.

Listing out the achievements of the Centre, Shah said one of apparent trends in the past four years is that there has been a transformation from “briefcase politics to development politics.” (With agency inputs)