By Lamphrang Nongspung
SHILLONG: While the KHNAM is divided over its merger with the UDP, the HSPDP, one of the oldest regional parties in the State, is not convinced that all the regional forces in the State should converge to fight the Congress forces in the upcoming 2013 Assembly election.
“I do not think this idea has any merit. It is only a short term arrangement to fight the upcoming Assembly election,” HSPDP supremo Hoping Stone Lyngdoh told The Shillong Times on Thursday.
While maintaining that he is not speaking against any party, Lyngdoh says that the proposal for bringing the regional forces under one common platform is a clear indication that the only interest is to win the election while forgetting the real issues affecting the State.
“We need to understand that Meghalaya is only a Sub-State. We are still totally dependent on Assam,” the HSPDP leader said, adding that the Municipal Act, Land Transfer Act and various other Acts of the State are borrowed from Assam.
“There is nothing which we can claim as our own,” he said, pointing out that even the civil services are a joint-cadre with Assam.
Lyngdoh said that he has no qualms about saying that the attitude of the Meghalaya Government is very much pro Assam.
“It is for this reason that the inter-State boundary dispute with Assam has not been solved even after so many years. We are afraid to take any hard decisions since we fear it might hurt their of Assam,” the HSPDP supremo said.
He further added that the HSPDP would continue with its campaign for the demand of a separate Khasi-Jaintia State.
“I think this is one of the best possible options to safeguard the interests of the Khasi-Jaintia people,” Lyngdoh said while admitting that at the moment there are few takers for this idea.
The HSPDP chief said that in the years to come many would realize that a Khasi-Jaintia state is the only way to safeguard the indigenous culture and identity and also to protect tribal land and property.
When asked if the HSPDP would be part of any alliance for the upcoming election, he said there is no question that his party is going to be part of any alliance.
“We are going it alone,” Lyngdoh said.
When asked about his party legislator from Pariong constituency, Dr Adviser Pariong, the HSPDP leader said that he would not be able to comment if Dr Pariong would continue to contest from his party.
It may be recalled that the UDP is very keen to bring the regional forces under one common platform.
UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy had earlier said that his party would continue with its effort to bring together all the regional forces.
UDP has managed to bring KHNAM under its umbrella. The UDP-KHNAM merger is likely to take place in December. The KHNAM General Council would meet on November 26 to take a final call on the merger issue.
Meanwhile the party CEC has given a nod to the merger.