UDP release 5 names, ignores Ardent

SHILLONG, DEC 10: The United Democratic Party (UDP) today fielded Draison Kharshiing from the Nongkrem Assembly constituency in place of sitting legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit who, it accused, of showing little interest in representing the party.

Kharshiing was among the five candidates whose names were released by the UDP. Others are Wonderful Lapang from Jirang, Edward Kharmawphlang from Shillong South (Laban), Arun N Marak from Songsak and Raju G Momin from Rongjeng. With this, the UDP has released the names of its candidates from 44 seats out of the 60 Assembly seats. The remaining 16 names are expected to be cleared on January 7. 12 of the 16 remaining seats are in the Garo Hills, 3 in the Jaintia Hills, and 1 in Khasi Hills.

Releasing the names of its five candidates, UDP president, Dr Donkupar Roy, said Basaiawmoit had failed to respond to a show-cause notice served on him following his suspension from the party. “The SEC (state election committee) has decided to field Draison Kharshiing as the official candidate of the party from Nongkrem constituency since the sitting legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit has failed to show interest to contest from the party despite chances given to him…Till today he has failed to respond to the show-cause notice served to him by the party,” he said.

The UDP had earlier has put the sitting Nongkrem MLA under suspension and served him a show-cause notice which he has failed to respond to till today. Roy said the decision on his suspension will stand till the party decides otherwise in the future.

The suspended Ardent had questioned the ideology and principles of the party over the citizenship issue of a candidate fielded by the UDP from a seat in the Garo hills. Roy, however, sought to make light of the issue, stating that the suspended MLA should have understood the party ideology before joining the party, and not now. “For so long he (Ardent) has been with the party and was silent about the issue. Now that his term is coming to an end, he has started coming up with such ideology issue,” he added.

The SEC also decided to refer the case of its candidate from Phulbari Susan D Sangma to the district and circle units with an advice to the candidate that she should follow the party procedure.