By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The UDP has decided to support opposition nominee Purno Agitok Sangma in the election to the post of President.
“We have taken this call to support Sangma since he is an independent tribal candidate who hails from the State,” UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy announced here on Monday.
The decision was taken in the parliamentary party meeting on Monday, he said.
Considering that the party has a small percentage of votes when compared to other political parties in the country, Dr Roy admitted that his party’s support for Sangma would not make much of difference in the final outcome of the Presidential election.
The UDP has ten legislators in the 60-member Meghalaya assembly.
“But the party hopes that the former Lok Sabha Speaker would emerge victorious,” the UDP president said.
Meanwhile, UDP working president Bindo Mathew Lanong maintained that the decision of the party to support Sangma would not have any bearing on the Congress-led MUA Government.
“This decision of the UDP has no connection with the present arrangement in the State,” Lanong said.
It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma recently wrote a letter to Dr Roy seeking UDP’s support for the UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee.