SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has admitted that its alliance with the saffron BJP affected the party’s performance while maintaining that the none of the partners of the MDA betrayed the party during the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in which UDP’s Jemino Mawthoh was a common candidate of the MDA
Talking to media persons here on Friday after the CEC meeting of the party, UDP leader Jemino Mawthoh admitted that UDP’s alliance with BJP affected their performance as people at the ground level have not understood the situation and they kept on telling that UDP is always with BJP.
“The issues of being with BJP, CAB, cow slaughter and conversion created havoc as far as campaigning is concerned,” Mawthoh said.
Mawthoh also expressed surprise as to how the vote share of Congress showed an abnormal jump from 33 per cent in 2014 to 53 per cent in 2014 in the Shillong Parliamentary Constituency, adding that the Congress managed to get people within their side and it was late for the UDP to clarify on the issue.
He also maintained that the UDP had done well in both the MDC as well as the MLA elections.
Earlier, senior party leader, Bindo M Lanong maintained that the party was not betrayed by any partners but electorates were misled by the Congress.
The CEC in the meeting reviewed as to what went wrong for the party as the party lost the elections from Shillong seat by a huge margin.
He also said that the stand of the party as far as the CAB had not changed even as he maintained that the party supported other parties on the basis of issues
“If any issue goes against the interest of the state, we will not be there with them,” Lanong said
Meanwhile, Lanong also informed that the general council meeting of the party will be held on September 11 and the council meeting usually takes place in every three years to re-structure and re-strengthen the party.
Similarly, the party would also hold a meeting next month to discuss and prepare for the upcoming GHADC elections.