GHADC polls
SHILLONG: As the previous anti-defection agreement with the candidates of both KHADC and JHADC polls failed to serve the purpose in 2014, the UDP is now planning to register the contract with the candidates of Garo Hills to prevent them from crossing over once they get elected.
The UDP general secretary Allan Dkhar told The Shillong Times on Sunday since the previous agreement had validity only for six month as it was not registered, the party could not initiate any follow up action against the defectors.
Unlike legislatures, in the absence of any anti-defection law in the autonomous district councils, change of affiliations has become the order of the day.
Prior to the KHADC-JHADC polls early part of 2014, UDP had entered into contract with the contesting candidates, but the agreement was defective since it was not valid beyond six months after signing the pact.
“We will now register the anti-defection agreement which will have legal validity beyond the six months from the date of signing the agreement”, Dkhar said
While in KHADC, Hadrian Lyngdoh had left the party, in Jaintia Hills, out of the five UDP MDCs, two of them had extended support to the ruling Congress.
“In JHADC, all are intact, but show-cause notice was issued against two MDCs who had extended support to Congress”, the UDP leader said.
The UDP has fielded as many as 14 candidates for GHADC polls and a few more are expected on Monday, which is the last day for filing of nominations for the October 12 polls.
“We will have a meeting with the contesting candidates for GHADC on September 29 somewhere in Garo Hills to explain to them about the need to sign the agreement”, Dkhar added.
