NONGPOH: The United Democratic Party (UDP), Ri Bhoi district, warmly welcomed the move of the former Congress leader and five-time Chief Minister of the state, Dr DD Lapang to quit Congress which he has been associated with for more than four decades.
United Democratic Party, Ri Bhoi General Secretary, Rayonald Kharkamni while talking to The Shillong Times on Tuesday said that for a leader of the stature like Dr Lapang to leave the party which he has been associated for so many decades now, shows that there must have been something very wrong within the leadership of the Congress party.
On the other hand, Kharkamni also said that it was very unfortunate that Dr Lapang realised when it is too late, saying that “Had Dr Lapang resigned from the party before the last state Assembly elections, the people of Ri Bhoi district would have benefitted a lot as this would have change the fate of the present representative of Nongpoh, Mayralborn Syiem”.
“The incident which happened at Umden days before the assembly elections where Dr Lapang shed his tears during the election campaign for his party candidate, had badly affected the winning prospects of our candidate, Miss Rona Khymdeit, as the people of Nongpoh constituency respected him and loved him so much considering his immense contribution made to the constituency, the district and the state as a whole” Kharkamni said adding that if Dr Lapang does not support the present Congress legislator from Nongpoh, Khymdeit would have easily won the elections and become the minister in the present government which could have been benefitted not just the Nongpoh constituency but even the district and the state as a whole, Kharkamni said.
“By leaving the Congress party after facilitating the victory of its candidate from Nongpoh, Dr. Lapang has left the people of the constituency high and dry, like a queen bee leaving the bee hive and the off springs to fend for themselves” Kharkamni said.
Kharkamni also said the United Democratic Party would wholeheartedly welcome Dr Lapang into the party fold if he still intended to have active parts in the state politics in order to fulfill his pending dreams of creating Nongpoh as a model constituency not just in the district or the state but in the country as a whole.