SHILLONG: UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh on Sunday expressed that the oldest regional party in the State – HSPDP – which has been spearheading the movement for deletion of Paragraph 12 A of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of the India since the early 70’s, was now cozying up to the Congress-led State Government.
Lyngdoh expressed surprise that the HSPDP was asking the State Government to legislate laws to empower the traditional heads. “The party is also supporting implementation of the Meghalaya Building Bye-Laws, 2011 outside the municipal areas,” he said.
Recalling that Paragraph 12 A empowers the State Government to make laws on subjects falling under the jurisdiction of the Council, Lyngdoh said, “Instead of opposing it, the party now wants the State Government to make laws on subject under the jurisdiction of the Council as laid down under Paragraph 3 of the Sixth Schedule. This ‘love affair’ between the HSPDP and the State Government in recent times has surprise many since the party sits in the opposition in both the KHADC and the Assembly.”
He also said that this sudden change of stand of the HSPDP and its friendly attitude towards the State Government has surprised even the general public.
Asked about the division among the ARPA allies in the KHADC, Lyngdoh admitted that there was an ideological tussle among the three alliance partners.
“Both the UDP and KHNAM are against MUDA encroachment outside the municipal areas and the proposed fresh draft bill of the State Government. But the HSPDP is now welcoming MUDA intervention and also supporting the implementation of the Government building bye-laws outside the municipal areas. The party is also supporting the draft bill of the Government,” he said.
Reminded that the UDP has often been accused of acting as team-B of the Congress in the past, Lyngdoh said those were remarks made by certain vested interests who did not want the UDP to grow.
“With the recent developments, the people are the best judge on who is the actual team-B of the Congress. I would like to leave it to the wisdom of the people to make their own judgment,” Lyngdoh added.
