Roy for fielding candidate, Jemino harps on consensus

TURA: UDP president Donkupar Roy has asked party members in Garo Hills to choose a candidate for Tura parliamentary seat.
Roy, who addressed party members at the central executive committee meeting in North Garo Hills’ Bangsi Apal village on Saturday, asked them to prepare for the Lok Sabha election. The state party leaders assured to give more autonomy to party members from the Garo Hills region.
Party general secretary Jemino Mawthoh said the UDP is still hopeful of a consensus on common candidate of all the allies in the government. The UDP is keen to contest the Shillong seat and support the NPP for the Tura seat. However, the NPP and also the BJP have so far given no indication in this regard.
This was a crucial meeting for the party as senior leaders, including former MLA and working President Bindo Lanong along with ministers Kyrmen Shylla and Metbah Lyngdoh, attended.
Newly associated members S K Sunn and Samuel Sangma also took part in the daylong programme.
The UDP leaders from Garo Hills who attended the meeting included former minister BG Momin and EK Sangma, party leaders Lindin Momin, Anand Marak and GHADC MDC Boston Marak.
The conference also indicated that party leaders are keen to shed the image of it being a ‘Khasi Hills’ party and have urged leaders to work in the direction of changing the “misconception”, said party leaders from Garo Hills.