HSPDP’s anti-NEDA move surprises UDP

SHILLONG: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has expressed surprise at the decision of the HSPDP to fight the 2018 Assembly elections in the State on its own instead of aligning with the non Congress parties at a time when the entire country is rejecting the Congress party.
UDP vice-president Allantry F. Dkhar on Tuesday said the party respects HSPDP’s stand of going alone in the 2018 polls but added that it would be misleading to presume that the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) will contest the Assembly polls in Meghalaya.
“NEDA comprises of ten regional parties of the North East apart from the party (BJP) in power at the Centre. The electorate have the option to elect any party to become a majority and not as portrayed,” he said.
According to Dkhar, NEDA stands for partnership in growth and governance in the entire Northeastern India and it is a linkage to expedite key regional aspirations and objectives of states with the Centre.
Reacting to a query on whether the decision of HSPDP to go alone in the Assembly elections will give an upper hand to the Congress in 2018, he said, “People are the best judge”.
He also reminded that the UDP had, time and again, called for alliance of regional parties with likeminded non Congress parties.
On Monday, HSPDP chief Ardent M. Basaiawmoit had announced that the party would go all alone in the 2018 Assembly polls and stated that his party was open to the idea of a post-poll alliance.
Basaiawmoit had also made it clear that the HSPDP would not join the NEDA and instead pointed out that regional parties in the North East need a separate and stronger forum minus the BJP and the Congress.