Mawkyrwat: All members of the NPP Ranikor block committee and leaders of the Congress on Wednesday joined UDP while BJP Mahila Morcha (Meghalaya unit) president, Pelcy Snaitang along with several BJP members decided to support the regional party in the Ranikor bypoll.
The move is seen as an attempt to ensure that the reign of five-time MLA, MM Danggo comes to an end.
UDP, Ranikor circle held a meeting at Nongnah village to welcome the NPP, BJP and Congress leaders.
The NPP leaders who joined UDP were led by the general secretary of NPP Ranikor Block Committee, Robert Basan while the Congress was led by the general secretary of Congress Rangthong polling station, Phestar Syiemlieh.
On the other hand, Pelcy Snaitang maintained that while she and supporters of the BJP Ranikor unit have not yet joined UDP but have decided to support Pius Marwein in the by-election.
While welcoming all the leaders and supporters of NPP and Congress to UDP and also the BJP supporters for their support, the president of UDP Ranikor Circle, GG Bung Snaitang assured that the party would soon hold a meeting and rearrange the office-bearers at the circle and primary unit level.
Taking a dig at former KHADC CEM PN Syiem, Snaitang said, “Ranikor has two big rivers in Kynshi and Umngi and people from outside wanted to come for fishing. But I am afraid that if he committed that mistake, it will be like a “suicide” of his political career and he would vanish forever from active politics”.
Snaitang said she had decided to support UDP in the upcoming by-election because people want change in the constituency.
She also said Pius Marwein has a very good chance of winning the election because in all these years Danggo won the elections not because of his ability to work but because of the Congress vote bank.
“In my life I have not voted a regional party in any election and I think that UDP Ranikor is waiting for me, a national party leader to give a blessing for the upcoming election,” Snaitang said, adding that if the leaders of Ranikor remain united as they are today, UDP will achieve its goal.
She also assured that she will call a meeting of all the leaders and supporters of the BJP Ranikor unit to discuss the upcoming election. “I know that not all of the supporters will follow me, but majority will vote for UDP this time,” she said.
UDP candidate from Ranikor, Marwein informed the gathering that many Congress leaders who have met him in the past two-three weeks have expressed unhappiness on Danggo’s decision to quit the post of MLA and resign from the party.
“They said the decision was made because of pressure by some leaders close to him and they have told me that first they would meet before giving support to UDP,” Marwein said.
Others who spoke included working president of the UDP central body, Titus Chyne, who informed that Marwein would be the candidate in the upcoming election and that the UDP has requested PN Syiem to support him in the fight against Danggo.
