Ranikor UDP to seek Cong support for Pius Marwein

MAWKYRWAT: United Democratic Party, Ranikor Circle has made it clear it would approach Congress and other political parties on its own capacity to garner support for party candidate, Pius Marwein in the Ranikor by-poll and would not ‘allow’ the high command to ‘interfere’.
Marwein is contesting against NPP candidate and five-time MLA, M.M Danggo.
“Everybody knows politics in Meghalaya. If the UDP breaks away from the NPP-led coalition government, where will it go? Congress is the only option. Therefore it is right for us (UDP Ranikor) to approach Congress since we all know that it wants to defeat Danggo. The high command (of the UDP) will not be allowed to interfere as we have our own strategy to win the election,” UDP Ranikor circle president, G.G Bung Snaitang said after a meeting in Rangthong on Monday.
“We know that the party high command does not like Congress, but UDP Ranikor on its own capacity will approach Congress Ranikor so that we can win the election. If we cannot work together (with Congress), then may be through understanding they can put up a candidate that will not affect us, but eat into Danggo’s vote bank,” Snaitang said.
He said the process (talks with Congress at Ranikor) was going on and that the UDP Ranikor would soon meet Congress at the district and state levels and appeal to support the party in the upcoming by-poll.
Pointing out that the approach will not affect the NPP-led government at the state, Snaitang said, “There is no problem with NPP. However we cannot work together with Danggo at Ranikor. Majority of the people of Ranikor constituency are against him and thus if he changes party also, the fight will be against Danggo and not with any political party.”
He said the meeting decided to approach all other political parties and leaders from Ranikor constituency to form the coordination committee to win the election.
He also informed that UDP Ranikor would soon write a letter to PDF chairman, PN Syiem and other political parties, which are against Danggo, to form the coordination committee.
“If there are fewer candidates in the fray, we will have a big chance to win the election. And if we can come to an understanding with P.N Syiem, as well as Congress, we will easily win the by-poll,” Snaitang said, adding that 90 per cent of the people who voted for NPP, PDF and BJP in the last election, will not vote for Danggo.