BJP’ll soon come to power in all northeastern states: Rijiju

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will soon come to power in all the eight northeastern states.

"It is very heartening to see that for the first time northeast is working as one unit. Only three states don't have our (BJP) governments, but we do have our representatives there," Rijiju said here at the second conclave of the party-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

"We have our governments in five of the northeastern states. I have no doubt that the next time when we sit for another round of NEDA conclave, we will have all the eight states under our party," he said.

Rijiju said the northeast region was completely devoid of developmental activities previously, but things had tremendously improved ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre three years ago.

"The region was dysfunctional from any parameters related to development for past so many years, because there was a disconnect between Delhi and northeast and also within the northeastern region," he said.

"That is why the entire region needed to come together on one platform and the right platform has been finally found in NEDA. It hasn't just been a political platform but has unified northeast socially, culturally and in many other ways," he added.

Noting that Jammu and Kashmir and northeast had been the biggest challenges in terms of internal security, Rijiju said: "I am proud to say that northeastern region in the last three and a quarter years has improved tremendously. The overall situation has become much better."

He said that peace was restored in Manipur after the BJP came to power. "It was burning before that. Normalcy has been restored now."

"Some issues still remaining are on the verge of getting resolved. We have also come up with certain policies to maintain peace and tranquility along the India-Mynamar border. Things are improving there as well," he added.