SHILLONG, OCT 16: United Democratic Party, the state’s largest regional political party has decided to announce its official candidate from Shillong parliamentary seat for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on October 31, who will also be projected as the MDA common candidate.
While a proposal for setting up of common candidates would soon be submitted to the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), the party also appealed to other MDA partners for their support keeping in mind the importance of ‘stability’ in the present government.
The UDP, which is the main ally of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, had earlier put a condition that the NPP should contest from the Tura seat while the Shillong seat should go to the UDP.
After the central executive committee (CEC) meeting held here on Tuesday, party’s senior working president Bindo M Lanong told reporters the meeting has accepted two leaders of the party to be the ticket aspirants for the Shillong seat.
These include former two-time legislator of West Shillong constituency and working president Paul Lyngdoh and former legislator of Nongthymmai constituency Jemino Mawthoh, who is also the incumbent general secretary of the party.
It may be mentioned here that Lyngdoh had unsuccessfully contested in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
“Both of them have expressed their interest to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Therefore, we have decided to fix October 31 as the date for finalising the official candidate of the party from among the two,” Lanong said.
The senior working president also informed that the party would immediately submit its proposal to the NPP on the matter. “Our proposal is that the NPP should set up candidate only from the Tura seat and to support the UDP from the Shillong seat,” he added.
Lanong, a former deputy chief minister, further informed that the UDP has also decided to approach the other regional political parties which include the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) for their support.
“We would soon have a consultation with them (regional political parties) on the matter especially the HSPDP is also our partner in the Regional Democratic Alliance (which was formed after the Assembly polls),” he said.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is one of the coalition partners of the MDA, had recently expressed its interest to field candidates from both the Tura and Shillong seats citing that the idea of common candidate may not work during the LS polls.
Asked, Lanong however said, “Though we cannot stop anybody from fielding candidates for the LS polls, but it would be good if there is a mutual understanding among the regional parties because stability of the MDA government should be of utmost importance.”
“It would also prevent unnecessary speculations if all the MDA partners decide to have their own candidates in the upcoming elections. Personally speaking I feel we have better chance to win from both the seats if we have common candidates,” he said.
Reacting to another query, the UDP leader was apt in saying that lack of understanding among the MDA partners may affect and bring “instability” in the MDA government.
“However, informal talks on the matter are still going on now,” he said.
On the other hand, UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said that the party is very positive that the idea of having common candidates would fruitify.
“We understand that every political party needs to position itself but if dialogue process is there, we have every reason to believe that we can have a positive outcome,” he said while informing that the party would also write to all the MDA partners.
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) comprises of six political parties which include NPP, UDP, HSPDP, PDF, BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) besides independents.
By Our Reporter
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