SHILLONG: Buoyed by top Congress leaders from Ri Bhoi district shifting allegiance to the United Democratic Party, party chief and leader of the Opposition Donkupar Roy has expressed confidence that the regional party would get more seats than any other party in the 2018 Assembly elections.
“We are 100 percent sure that UDP will win the election and we will get the most number of seats,” Roy told reporters after several leaders from Congress and some NGOs in Ri Bhoi district joined the party.
Asked about the discontent in a few seats where the alliance between UDP and HSPSDP was yet to reach any consensus, Roy said they were working out the issue. “The alliance also has a few open seats which would help the candidates,” he said.
The party chief also welcomed anyone who intended to join the regional party.
On the other hand, UDP MDC from Umsning, Donkupar Sumer was over the moon as top leaders from Congress joined the UDP. “It is a positive sign and we are moving in the right direction,” Sumer told reporters.
Asked about his rival candidate from Congress who would take him on during elections, Sumer said the Opposition candidate was a strong contender earlier.
“But in the recent past, Congress has lost the elections everywhere in the country and the same will happen here in Meghalaya,” he asserted.
“People are fed up with the style and functioning of the state government and they have faith in regional parties,” he said.
According to Sumer, Congress leaders joining UDP would demoralise the national party in the constituency.
He also said the party would focus on providing quality education besides jobs to the youths of the state.Sumer further ruled out any disunity in the party following the alliance with HSPDP, saying there were bound to be some differences when efforts were on to unite the party.
“These are small issues at the local level and it will be sorted out without having any adverse affect,” he said.
The leaders who have joined the UDP in Umsning on Saturday include among others Carlus Kharkongor, who contested the 2014 district council elections, Rocky Kylla, the chairman of Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong, Ri Bhoi and Eddie Graffin Kharbani, Rangbah Shnong, Lumnongrim.
