Mattersindia Reporter
Shillong: The BJP has appointed newly made tourism minister from Kerala, Alphons Kannanthanam, for the upcoming Meghalaya polls, September 6.
Kannanthanam was a seminarian of late Bishop Abraham Alangimattathil of Kohima-Imphal diocese.
He was a student of Philosophy at the Christ the King College Shillong early 1970.
Speaking to Matters India, former secretary of CBCI Commission for Education, Father Kuriala Chittattukalam congratulated his former student for the ministerial appointment and the new responsibility for BJP in Meghalaya.
“He was an intelligent student and used to raise questions and demanded clarifications during Philosophy class,” recalls Father Chittattukalam his former teacher current head of Don Bosco Doomni, Assam.
After completion of his graduation in Shillong cleric Kannanthanam was assigned for regency in Imphal, Manipur from where he discontinued his journey toward priesthood.
Archbishop Dominc Jala of Shillong who is known to Kannanthanam from his Shillong base days told Matters India “We look forward to having a constructive dialogue for the future of the people of Meghalaya irrespective of any party or ideology.”
Welcoming Kannanthanam’s appointment a bishop from Meghalaya told Matters India “ we are proud of his achievement and sincere work, but his ideology is not agreeable to the people of Meghalaya, especially the Christian population.”
Meghalaya, a Christian stronghold has four dioceses (Jowai, Nongstoin, Shillong and Tura), out of 15 dioceses distributed among the state of North East.
Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati was Kannanthanam’s senior at college in Shillong.
Kannanthanam is bound to find several of his college mates among clergy in North East.
Some Christian leaders in Shillong is sceptical about the outcome of BJP’s game plan in assigning an ex-seminarian to booster the chances of the Hindutva party in Christian strong hold state.