SHILLONG: The two newly-elected HSPDP MLAs – Samlin Malngiang and Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar – who defied the party’s directive of not attending the new coalition government’s swearing-in ceremony have gone on record saying that the party was not assailed by internal fissures.
Not only did they attend the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhawan but Malngiang was also sworn-in as a minister in the new dispensation.
Earlier, HSPDP chief Ardent Basaiawmoit had expressed his unhappiness with the UDP for pitching Conrad Sangma’s name as the chief minister sans the due process of consultation. The party’s president resigned on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media here on Tuesday after the swearing-in ceremony, the HSPDP MLAs said they have no plans of quitting the party and that such misunderstandings are natural.
“Both of us are in the Parliamentary party of the HSPDP and we are united and together we want to see the interests of the party and the people of the state safeguarded. That is why we want to be in government to serve the people of the state,” the two leaders said.
Stating that such issues always crop up in political parties that function as a joint family, the duo clarified that they did not have sufficient time to think about the whole issue.
“Now we are sitting inside the bus and we will decide whether to get off the bus or continue with the journey,” they said.
Expressing confidence that the HSPDP will not split, they said all misunderstandings would be resolved soon.
Asserting that party president Ardent Basaiawmoit had directed them to work with the regional democratic alliance and the UDP, the MLAs said: “Since we fought the election with the UDP, we have to be with the UDP. That was the direction given to us and we have done exactly that.”
