Complications natural, but UDP remains united: Party leaders

SHILLONG: United Democratic Party (UDP) Working President Bindo Lanong on Friday sought to downplay the simmering dissent among a section of the party leaders, saying that complications are natural in a pregnancy either in a living thing or a political party.
Lanong’s statement was in reference to the disunity and rumblings within the UDP following its alliance with the HSPDP. “Until the alliance is born, we can only hope that everything will be fine,” he said.
He asserted that the party leaders were trying to iron out the differences so that an alliance may be forged prior to the 2018 Assembly elections in the State.
UDP President Donkupar Roy, meanwhile, refused to comment on the statement of Nongkrem MDC H.S Shylla that the UDP-HSPDP alliance was a blunder, terming it as a personal comment of a man who is half-way out of the party. UDP leader Jemino Mawthoh also made it clear that the party was not divided on the issue. “There may be difference of opinion but we have a culture of working together in the party,” he said.
Claiming that the alliance has been welcomed by one and all, Mawthoh recalled that the UDP being the largest regional party in the State had, time and again, called the other regional parties to join hands.
According to Mawthoh, both parties have already worked out modalities for sharing of seats with the exception of 2-3 constituencies.