SHILLONG, MAR 25: United Democratic Party (UDP) state youth wing vice president Hamlet Dohling said the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) vice president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit should be thankful to the UDP as it has supported the present All Regional Parties Alliance (ARPA) in Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) enabling the HSPDP to lead the KHADC executive committee.
“He (Basaiawmoit) should in fact be grateful to the UDP for its support that enabling his party to lead in the KHADC,” UDP youth wing vice president Hamlet Dohling said.
Dohling statement came as a reaction to Basaiawmoit accusation that the UDP was back-stabbing its allies in the district council during its election campaigns for the ensuing Shillong Lok Sabha polls slated for April 9.
The UDP has also accused that it was Basaiawmoit who first started personal attacks against its candidate Paul Lyngdoh right from the last Assembly election and now during the Lok Sabha elections by remarking that Lyngdoh is not competent enough to win the election.
ARPA is a coalition of three regional parties – HSPDP which won from seven seats, UDP from six seats and KHNAM with four seats in KHADC.
“We (UDP) have every right to make this claim that it is because of the party’s support that Basaiawmoit was elevated to the post of the chief executive member (CEM) of the council,” Dohling said.
According to him, the UDP had never interfered but has respected the decision of HSPDP to reserve the CEM chair for Basaiawmoit when the ARPA was formed because the UDP intention was clear that it wanted a leader from the regional parties.
“Despite our support and goodwill, Basaiawmoit instead tried to dictate the UDP that it should drop Paul Lyngdoh’s candidature by imposing some other names of Jemino Mawthoh and Bindo M Lanong for the Lok Sabha elections,” Dohling stated.
Admitting that there was no deal between the parties when the ARPA was formed, Dohling, however, said, “But the HSPDP has no right to underestimate the UDP’s decision to put up Paul Lyngdoh as the candidate as we have never interfered with their decision.”
Dohling also wondered as to what kind of assessment and survey the HSPDP and KHNAM have conducted to come up with a conclusion that Lyngdoh will not win the upcoming election.
According to Dohling, Lyngdoh is a seasoned politician and he does not need to listen to Basaiawmoit lecture on how to speak during election campaigns.
Basaiawmoit had also stated that he is ready to vacate the CEM’s chair if the situation demands. As a reaction to this, Dohling said, “Such immature statement only shows that he (Basaiawmoit) is incapable to lead the Council,” adding “The UDP is not against Basaiawmoit as the CEM but if he feels that he want to step down we will not interfere as that is his personal take.”
Dohling asserted that Basaiawmoit should be clear that the UDP stand is that ARPA should last its full term.- By Our Reporter
