Congress President Rahul Gandhi on January 30 hit out at the BJP-led NDA government for offering money to churches in Congress-ruled Meghalaya ahead of the assembly elections.

“You will find the BJP has a lot of money. These days their leadership believes that everything can be bought,” he said drumming up support for his party candidates in the seven assembly  constituencies in Jaintia Hills district.

“I am very sad to hear that the BJP offered money to our churches in what I consider to be a huge sum…,” said Gandhi, who travelled 60 km to Jowai, the district headquarters of Jaintia Hills.

The Congress President is scheduled to meet Church leaders of various Christian denominations over breakfast on January 31 Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, state Congress President Celestine Lyngdoh, Lok Sabha member Vincent H.Pala and others accompanied the party leader.

On January 7, Union Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons announced a tourism package of Rs 70 crore to develop religious and spiritual circuits in the state.

But the Presbyterian Church and Catholic Church, besides the opposition Hill State People’s Democratic Party, raised their eyebrows on the offer.

Election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly will be held on February 27. “There is no price, there is no amount of money that can buy the people of Meghalaya. The BJP may buy a few leaders here and there as few leaders may defect to the BJP or their proxy the NPP (National People’s Party),” the Congress President said.