SHILLONG, JUNE 8: UDP MDC from Nongkrem Hispreaching Son Shylla today sought the immediate resignation of the party chief Donkupar Roy for allegedly destroying the party due to the recent pre-poll alliance with the HSPDP.
Hinting that he is likely to resign from the party, the veteran politician also termed the pre-poll alliance as a ‘panic reaction’ of the HSPDP president Ardent M Basaiawmoit, who had shifted from his earlier stand on post-poll alliance.
“It is better for him (Donkupar) to own responsibility and step down as the president of the party and let leaders like Bindo Lanong and Paul Lyngdoh take over,” Shylla told reporters at a press conference held here on Thursday.
The United Democratic Party (UDP) and Hill State People Democratic Party (HSPDP) on May 25, has agreed to fight the forthcoming 2018 elections from 36 constituencies in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.
However, Shylla, also a former KHADC chief, alleged that the decision was taken by party president without any consultation with the party leaders and workers by finalizing it in the central executive committee (CEC) meeting held on May 25.
According to him, the CEC convened on the day of forming the pre-poll alliance was actually to review the petition filed by the four MDCs, who decided to continue their support to the ruling PDF in the KHADC.
Despite this issue was not even discussed in the CEC, I thought that they had only agreed in principle to have pre-poll alliance but will work out modalities before taking a call, he said.
“But sadly this was not in the thinking of the president, who has made a blunder mistake by agreeing for a friendly-match in constituencies like Mawkynrew, Mylliem, Nongkrem and others, which had made many unhappy,” he said.
He added, “This decision will bring destruction to the UDP if Donkupar continues as the president.”
Stating that the alliance will surely destroy the UDP, Shylla was of the view that the party has to take damage control measures by cancelling the pre-poll alliance with the HSPDP.
“This is because this pre-poll alliance is not for bringing any good governance in the state but it is just the insecurities of the two presidents – UDP and HSPDP, who have no hope (to come back in 2018),” he said.
Earlier, Shylla had suggested that pre-poll alliance should include all regional political parties – UDP, HSPDP, Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) and even the newly floated People Democratic Front (PDF).
“The goal is to have one regional political party,” he said.
On the other hand, the Nongkrem MDC said that the pre-poll alliance is a panic reaction of the sitting legislator Ardent M Basaiawmoit.
He said Basaiawmoit earlier maintained that the HSPDP is for post-poll alliance but his stand shifted after his party came third in the KHADC bye-elections held last year.
Shylla also said that he may also resign from the UDP and would contest the upcoming 2018 elections against Basaiawmoit.
“My decision not to contest the MLA election has disappointed the people of Nongkrem especially those who are anti-Ardent,” he said adding “They also wanted me not to contest from the UDP.”
He also lambasted Basaiawmoit’s attitude on his earlier offer not to contest the MLA election to pave way for the sitting legislator adding that Basaiawmoit has failed to respect that the offer have come from a senior politician.
Asked, Shylla denied that he has any plans to join the National People’s Party (NPP). He informed that a committee has been formed to decide on the matter as to from which party, he would be contesting in 2018.
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