SHILLONG: UDP president Donkupar Roy has ruled out any pre-poll alliance except the UDP-HSPDP relation and asserted that the party would field a candidate in the Ranikor by-election.
The Ranikor seat is vacant following the resignation of M.M Danggo. He will contest the by-poll on NPP ticket.
NPP and UDP are partners in the MDA coalition government.
“The UDP will field a candidate in Ranikor and our candidate is Pius Marwein. This is very clear and there is no second thought. HSPDP is also with us and there will be no pre-poll alliance with others”, he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme on Wednesday.
Asked on the other regional party, People’s Democratic Front (PDF), he said that PDF chairman and KHADC CEM Pynshngain Syiem met him to discuss the Ranikor by-election.
“Pynshngain came to meet me that he is inclined to contest the election. We will get clarity in the coming days on whether he will contest or if he is still surveying,” he said.
Meanwhile, HSPDP president K.P Pangniang wanted the regional forces in the state to come together and reach a unanimous decision.
“We want to have a thorough discussion with the UDP and PDF to come to a unanimous conclusion,” he told reporters.
He added that the HSPDP will not field any candidate in the Ranikor by-election.
Asked if the move is to strengthen the regional force in the state, Pangniang said, “It comes to that.”
The president of PDF, Ivanlumlang Marbaniang said that PDF members in Ranikor discussed with the leaders of the PDF central executive committee on the Ranikor by-election.
“We have decided to meet the PDF leaders in Ranikor Rangthong and Wahkaji,” he said.
He added that party members from Ranikor also went to meet the KHADC CEM requesting him to contest the by-election.
