SHILLONG: Former HSPDP President, Ardent Basaiawmoit has lambasted its alliance partner, United Democratic Party (UDP) over its decision of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the Government in the state saying such stand of the party is the reason for people to lose their faith and confidence on the regional parties which would have huge impact on the future and credibility of all the regional parties in the state.
Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Ardent Basaiawmoit recalled that the HSPDP just a month before the elections had even asked UDP to see if they could withdraw from the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) since they are being branded as partners of the BJP.
“But they (UDP) kept on saying that NEDA is a developmental platform which only vindicates the claim of Congress that all regional parties are part and parcel of BJP,” he said adding “ this is the reason why people lose their faith and confidence on regional parties which would have huge impact on the future and credibility of all the regional parties in the state.
Slamming the UDP president, Donkupar Roy, Basaiawmoit asked the former Chief Minister to answer as why did he opposed Prestone Tynsong from becoming the Chief Minister of the state.
Taking a cue from media reports, he also asked Donkupar Roy to come clean on the proposal and agreement between him and NPP president Conrad Sangma.
Denying the allegations that he never expressed his resentment over the alliance with BJP, the former HSPDP chief said that since day one of forging the alliance with UDP, he had made his stand clear that the alliance is only between UDP and HSPDP and later it was joined by GNC as well.
“That alliance was meant for three parties which is HSPDP, UDP and GNC and not BJP and we had made it clear that we want a non- Congress and non-BJP Government,” he said.
Accusing the UDP of betraying the HSPDP, he reiterated that the UDP did not consulted the party before proposing the name of Conrad Sangma as well as opposing the name of Prestone Tynsong as the Chief Minister of the state.
Commenting on its two MLAs who have openly defied the directive of the HSPDP, he recalled hat he had asked his two MLAs that they should not break the alliance but he never gave them a green signal to agree to work together with the BJP.
“Being elected, they should remember that the stand of the party was to have a Government without BJP and I am hurt for the fact they stake the claim on Sunday and I had instructed my MLAs to skip from going to Raj Bhawan on Sunday as we have to respect the sentiments of the majority but they did not listen to me,” he told reporters.
Terming the behavior of two MLAs as highly indiscipline, he said that he as the party president worked hard for them and he even lost the election because he took care of all of his candidates.
Stating that the HSPDP should rectify its mistakes, he also stressed that this region of the state should have got the chance to share the responsibility as he head of the state as the other region has got opportunity to serve as the head of the state.
This was the opportune moment to serve as the head of the state from this side of the state,” he told reporters.