TURA: Local leaders from the regional United Democratic Party in Garo Hills have expressed their keenness to put up a candidate against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in the upcoming by-election to South Tura constituency.
The UDP is currently a part of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government and has its MLAs as ministers in the Conrad Sangma government.
UDP leaders from Garo Hills reportedly held a meeting at the residence of B G Momin, UDP’s Garo Hills region president, at Bangsi Apal village of Mendipather in North Garo Hills where it was decided to field a candidate.
“The decision to field a candidate was unanimous in the meeting. Moreover, there is no agreement that stops the UDP or other MDA allies from fielding a candidate to the by-poll,” claimed Utzol Sangma, UDP’s general secretary in Garo Hills.
“We have observed that people in the state want a regional party to govern the state and we are confident of snatching victory in the by-election to South Tura constituency,” added Linden Momin, working president of the UDP for Garo Hills.
However, although the local unit of the party has announced the fielding of a candidate against the chief minister, it remains to be seen if the central leadership of the UDP will endorse the decision of the local unit given the fact that it was UDP President and current assembly speaker, Donkuper Roy, who had rejected the Congress overtures and threw his lot with the NPP asking Conrad Sangma to take over as the new chief minister of the state.