SHILLONG, JULY 18: The Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP) decided to play spoilsports to the BJP’s grand plan for forming a grand anti Congress alliance of all non- Congress political parties as its leaders said the party is not keen to have any pre-poll alliance under the banner of the BJP led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) but will contest the upcoming 2018 state elections on its own.
HSPDP president Ardent M Basaiawmoit told reporters after the party’s CEC meeting on Monday that the north eastern regional political parties need a separate and strong forum minus the BJP.
“We have decided to fight the 2018 state election as a single party but we are open to any like-minded political parties to work with us,” Basaiawmoit said.
Formed in 1968 under the leadership of late Hoping Stone Lyngdoh, the HSPDP, which is presently having only 4 legislators in the state assembly, is also set to celebrate its Golden Jubilee celebration in 2018.
According to party’s vice president KP Pangniang, the party, which is already in existence for 50 years, should have no fear in facing the upcoming election on its own.
On the other hand, Basaiawmoit expressed optimism that the decision of the HSPDP will enable it to perform well in 2018.
When asked, he recalled that there were times when the HSPDP as a party was at its peak when it had produced 14 MLAs in 1978, 15 MLAs in 1983 and later in 1993 only 6 MLAs.
“The party was however affected when it’s sitting MLAs that time defected to other political parties in the name of unity or alliance,” he said.
Stating that the decision of the party will also give the people a choice, he said, “If the people of the state decides not to accept the BJP led NEDA, it will be to the advantage of the ruling Congress. But when HSPDP as a regional party decided to stand alone, people will have a choice.”
Reiterating that NEDA will not be a right platform, Basaiawmoit however said at a time when the country has rejected the Congress party, it is right time that there should be a strong regional front.
According to him, the present NEDA is still an initiative of a national party – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“We need a separate body as regional political parties and if there is a way, we would propose to all regional political parties in the region to have a strong front,” he said.
When asked whether the party’s decision would not weaken the anti-Congress wave, Basaiawmoit said that politics in Assam and Meghalaya is different. “You cannot expect the Assam model or situation to work in Meghalaya,” he said while alleging that those political parties in alliance with BJP led NEDA has already started expressing their displeasure against the policy of the BJP.
Meanwhile, the HSPDP has also constituted the Golden Jubilee Committee for preparing the party to gear up for its year-long celebration.-By Our Reporter
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