UDP determined to contest Shillong Lok Sabha seat

SHILLONG: The UDP said on Tuesday it would field its candidate for Shillong parliamentary seat and NPP, which is leading the ruling alliance in the state, can contest Tura seat next year.
“NPP will field its own candidate in Garo Hills and UDP after coming to an understanding with other parties like KHNAM, PDF and HSPDP, will field candidate from Shillong seat to avoid conflict. Neither UDP will field candidate in Garo Hills nor NPP in Shillong,” said UDP working president Bindo Lanong after a meeting of the party’s central executive committee.
He added that the party will send a proposal to the NPP on the matter.
The UDP had earlier proposed common candidates for the ruling alliance for the Lok Sabha election.
The central election committee projected the names of former MLAs Paul Lyngdoh and Jemino Mawthoh as potential candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. “The meeting has agreed to accept both of them as applicants,” Lanong said.
The Lok Sabha poll candidates will be announced on October 31 “if no hindrances occur”.
Mawthoh, who is also the UDP general secretary, said there were “informal talks” with other regional parties on LS candidate. “We cannot stop other parties (from fielding candidates) but we shall appeal,” he added.
The UDP central election committee also released its first list of candidates for the 2019 district council elections on Tuesday. The list has 10 names.
Lanong said the party has fixed October 31 for releasing the second or final list for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) polls.
The 10 candidates are Embhahlang Syiemlieh from Mawlai, Ricky Shullai from Laban-Mawprem, S Basing Roy Kharshandi from Nongthymmai, Donkupar Sumer and Rona Khymdeit from Umsning and Nongpoh, respectively, Teinwell Dkhar from Shella, Titos Chyne from Sohra, Olan Suin from Mawsynram, Macdonald Kharkongor from Mylliem, Khamshai Lyngdoh from Mawphlang.
He informed that the district leaders in Jaintia Hills are asking for some time to select candidates.
Mawthoh said the party has constituted a manifesto committee on Tuesday for the 2019 council elections headed by Lanong. Other members are Teinwell Dkhar, Moonlight Pariat, Lamdibok Sumer, F. Bareh, Donbok Khymdeit, Equator Nongrang and Mawthoh.
The central executive committee meeting of the UDP will be held on October 27 in Garo Hills. “We expect many people, even former MLAs, to join the party,” Mawthoh said.
On its alliance with HSPDP, Mawthoh said, “We will leave it to the understanding at the constituency level and not wait for the state level as we have to check for grassroots support.”
He said there is tactical understanding with HSPDP while he also spoke of unification of regional parties.